Macon, Georgia

City of Macon
—  City  —
Downtown Macon skyline

Seal
Location in Bibb county in the state of Georgia
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Georgia
Counties Bibb, Jones
Government
 - Mayor Robert Reichert (D)
Area
 - City 56.3 sq mi (145.7 km2)
 - Land 55.8 sq mi (144.5 km2)
 - Water 0.5 sq mi (3.2 km2)
Elevation 381 ft (116 m)
Population (2008)
 - City 92,775
 - Density 1,742.8/sq mi (672.9/km2)
 - Metro 230,775
 - Demonym Maconites
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 31200-31299
Area code(s) 478
FIPS code 13-49000[1]
GNIS feature ID 0332301[2]
Website http://www.cityofmacon.net/

Macon (pronounced /ˈmeɪkən/) is a city located in central Georgia, US. It is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles (136 km) south of Atlanta, hence the city's nickname as the Heart of Georgia. As of 2008, Macon had an estimated population of 92,775;[3] In terms of population, Macon is the sixth-largest city in Georgia (just after Athens).

The city has several institutions of higher education, as well as numerous museums and tourism sites. The area is served by the Middle Georgia Regional Airport and the Herbert Smart Downtown Airport. The current mayor of Macon is Robert Reichert, a former Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Perhaps its most colorful mayor with national recognition was Ronnie Thompson, who served from 1967–1975 and was the first of thus far two Republicans to have held the position, the other being George Israel (1979–1987).

Contents

History

Governor Brown calls for militia as Sherman closes in, July 1864

Macon lies on the site of the Ocmulgee Old Fields, where the Creek Indians lived, as did their predecessors for as long as 12,000 years before Europeans arrived. The fields and forests around Macon and what is now the Ocmulgee National Monument were cultivated by the Creeks, who built temple and funeral mounds that survive today.

Prior to its establishment as a city, Macon was the site of Fort Benjamin Hawkins. After the Creeks ceded their lands east of the Ocmulgee River, President Thomas Jefferson ordered the fort built in 1806 on the fall line of the Ocmulgee River to protect the new frontier, as it was a major military distribution point during the War of 1812 and the Creek War of 1813. Afterward, the fort became a trading post for a few more years before it fell to disuse and burned to the ground. A replica of the fort, however, stands today on a hill in east Macon by the old bank. By this time, many settlers had already begun to move into the area and later renamed Fort Hawkins “Newtown.” After the establishment of Bibb County in 1822, the city was chartered as the county seat in 1823 and officially named Macon, in honor of North Carolina statesman Nathaniel Macon because many of the city's early settlers hailed from North Carolina. The city planners of Macon envisioned "a city within a park" and went about creating a city of spacious streets and parks. They also designated 250 acres (1 km2) for Central City Park and citizens were required by ordinances to plant shade trees in their front yards.

The city thrived due to its location on the Ocmulgee River and cotton became the mainstay of Macon's early economy. Cotton boats, stage coaches, and later, in 1843, a railroad all brought economic prosperity to Macon. In 1836, Wesleyan College, the first college America chartered to grant degrees to women,[4] was founded in Macon by the Georgia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1855 a referendum was held to determine a capital city for Georgia. Macon came in last with 3,802 votes.[5]

During the American Civil War, Macon served as the official arsenal of the Confederacy. Camp Oglethorpe, in Macon, was used first as a prison for captured officers and enlisted, then for officers only, up to 2,300 at one time. The camp was evacuated in 1864.[6]

Macon City Hall, which would serve as the temporary state capitol in 1864, was converted to use as a hospital for the wounded. However, Macon was spared by General William Tecumseh Sherman on his march to the sea. The nearby state capital of Milledgeville had been sacked and Maconites prepared for an attack. But General Sherman feared that Confederate forces were preparing a unified attack of their own and therefore bypassed Macon.

The Macon Telegraph claimed that out of the 23 companies the city had furnished the Confederacy, only enough for five were alive and medically fit for duty by the end of the war.[7]

Throughout the era of Reconstruction and into the twentieth century, Macon grew into a prospering town in Middle Georgia, and began to serve as a transportation hub for the entire state.

Downtown Macon in the early 1900's

.

In 1994 Tropical Storm Alberto made landfall in Florida dumping 24 inches (61 cm) inches of rain resulting in major flooding in Georgia. Macon was one of the worst flooded cities.[8]

On May 11, 2008, an EF2 tornado struck (The "Mother's Day Tornado"). Bibb county and surrounding counties were declared disaster areas by the state and federal governments.[9]

Murderess Anjette Lyles lived here,[10] as well as alleged axe murderer Thomas Woolfolk.[11]

Geography

The Macon-Bibb County Court House

Macon is one of Georgia's three Fall Line Cities, along with Augusta and Columbus. The Fall Line is where the hilly lands of the Piedmont plateau meet the flat terrain of the coastal plain. As such, Macon has a varied landscape of rolling hills on the north side and flat plains on the south. The fall line causes rivers in the area to decline rapidly towards sea level, making it an ideal location for textile mills in the past. The Ocmulgee River is the major river that runs through Macon.

Macon is located at (32.834839, -83.651672).[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 56.3 square miles (145.7 km2), of which, 55.8 square miles (144.5 km2) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km2) of it (0.82%) is water.

Macon is approximately 901 feet (275 m) above sea level.[2]

Climate

Macon has a humid, subtropical climate. Summer temperatures generally peak in the mid-90 °F (32 °C)s, and the winters have lows in the mid-30 °F (−1 °C)s. The city has an average annual precipitation of 45 inches (1,100 mm).[13]

Climate data for Macon, Georgia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 84
(28.9)		 85
(29.4)		 95
(35)		 96
(35.6)		 99
(37.2)		 106
(41.1)		 108
(42.2)		 105
(40.6)		 102
(38.9)		 100
(37.8)		 88
(31.1)		 82
(27.8)		 108
Average high °F (°C) 56.6
(13.67)		 60.9
(16.06)		 68.5
(20.28)		 75.9
(24.39)		 83.4
(28.56)		 89.5
(31.94)		 91.8
(33.22)		 90.5
(32.5)		 85.4
(29.67)		 76.8
(24.89)		 67.8
(19.89)		 59.2
(15.11)		 75.53
(24.181)
Average low °F (°C) 34.5
(1.39)		 37.0
(2.78)		 43.8
(6.56)		 49.5
(9.72)		 58.6
(14.78)		 66.6
(19.22)		 70.5
(21.39)		 69.5
(20.83)		 63.7
(17.61)		 51.1
(10.61)		 42.5
(5.83)		 36.3
(2.39)		 51.97
(11.093)
Record low °F (°C) -6
(-21.1)		 9
(-12.8)		 14
(-10)		 29
(-1.7)		 40
(4.4)		 46
(7.8)		 54
(12.2)		 55
(12.8)		 35
(1.7)		 26
(-3.3)		 10
(-12.2)		 5
(-15)		 -6
Precipitation inches (cm) 5
(13)		 4.55
(12)		 4.90
(12)		 3.14
(8)		 2.98
(8)		 3.54
(9)		 4.32
(11)		 3.79
(10)		 3.26
(8)		 2.37
(6)		 3.22
(8)		 3.93
(10)		 45
(114)
Source: USTravelWeather.com[13]

Surrounding cities and towns

Downtown Macon skyline at night.

Demographics

Location of the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley CSA and its components:      Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area      Warner Robins Metropolitan Statistical Area      Fort Valley Micropolitan Statistical Area

Macon is the largest principal city of the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Macon metropolitan area (Bibb, Crawford, Jones, Monroe, and Twiggs counties), the Warner Robins metropolitan area (Houston County), and the Fort Valley micropolitan area (Peach County),[14][15][16] which had a combined population of 346,801 at the 2000 census.[1]

As of the official census[1] of 2000, there were 100,005 people, 38,444 households, and 24,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,742.8 people per square mile (672.9/km2). There were 44,341 housing units at an average density of 794.6/sq mi (306.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.45% African American, 35.46% White, 0.19% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 38,444 households out of which 30.1% had children under the living with them, 33.0% were married couples living together, 25.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the , 11.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 79.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.8 males.

Economy

Personal income

The median income for a household in the city was $27,405, and the median income for a family was $33,699. Males had a median income of $29,950 versus $22,865 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,082. About 21.6% of families and 25.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

Retail

Malls include: The Shoppes at River Crossing and Macon Mall and Eisenhower Crossing.

Military

Robins Air Force Base, the largest single-site industrial complex in the state of Georgia[17], is just south of Macon, next to the city of Warner Robins.

Cultural

Musical heritage

A statue of Otis Redding

Macon natives have had a great influence upon music of the United States. The kazoo was invented in the city during the 1840s. Macon has been the birthplace or hometown to such musicians as Young Jeezy, The Allman Brothers Band, Randy Crawford, Mark Heard, Lucille Hegamin, Otis Redding, Little Richard, Mike Mills and Bill Berry of R.E.M. as well as more recent names like violinist Robert McDuffie and country artist Jason Aldean. Rapper Jody Breeze (1/4 of the hip-hop group Boyz N Da Hood along with fellow Maconite Young Jeezy, currently signed to P. Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment) was discovered in Macon at a car show. September Hase, an alternative rock band formerly managed by Macon's Alan Walden, was discovered in Macon at the 550 Blues Club. Capricorn Records, run by Macon natives Phil Walden and briefly Alan Walden, made the city a hub for Southern rock music in the late 1960s and 1970s.[18]

Partly as a result of this musical heritage, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame was built here.[19] Musicians from around the state are enshrined at the hall for their contributions, and the building features a museum showcasing Georgia's music history.

In 2007 the city hosted the Macon Symphony Orchestra,[20] which performed at the Grand Opera House in downtown Macon, as well as a youth symphony, the Middle Georgia Concert Band,[21] and other groups, some associated with the local universities.

Festivals

Cherry Blossom Festival
Georgia State Fair

Points of interest

Fort Hawkins
Ocmulgee Riverwalk

Media

Newspapers and magazines

Television stations

Radio stations

FM

AM

Major venues

Macon City Auditorium
Cox Capitol Theater

Education

Macon State
Mercer University

Colleges and universities

Macon has approximately 30,000 college students, the third highest number in Georgia. Mercer, Macon State, and Wesleyan College have the largest populations of "traditional" college students. Georgia College & State University has a "Center for Graduate and Professional Learning" in Macon.[29]

Public high schools

Private high schools

Speciality schools

Hospitals


Transportation

Air travel

Middle Georgia Regional Airport, provides public air service to Macon as well as cargo flights. The airport is situated 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown. Herbert Smart Downtown Airport also provides air service to Macon.

Ground transportation

Interstate highways

State highways

Other roads

Bus service

MTA-MAC City Bus

The Macon Transit Authority (MTA) is Macon's public-transit system, operating the bus system within Bibb County. However, many commuters in Macon and the surrounding suburbs use private automobiles as their primary transportation. This results in heavy traffic during rush hour and contributes to Macon's air pollution.

Macon Transit Authority has a trolley system. The trolleys offer tours in the downtown Macon area since 1999. The tours consist of all of the major historical sites such as the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the Hay House, and the Tubman Museum. There are three trolleys; MITSI, Miss Molly, and Sweet Melissa and each holds up to 39 passengers. Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service between Macon and many locations throughout the United States and Canada. The Greyhound terminal is situated at 65 Spring Street, on the eastern edge of the downtown area.

Sports

Club Sport League Venue
Macon Music Baseball South Coast League Luther Williams Field
Macon Giants Baseball Great South League Luther Williams Field
Macon Pinetoppers Baseball Peach State League Luther Williams Field

Sister cities

Macon has six sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):[31]

Notable Maconites

A number of notable people involved in politics, sports, music, and other activities were either born or resided in Macon.

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau Population Finder
  4. ↑ [1]
  5. ↑ [2]
  6. ↑ [3]
  7. ↑ Cotton, Fire and Dreams
  8. ↑ "Record Rain Pelts Georgia; 4 Die in Flood". The New York Times. 1994-07-06. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/06/us/record-rain-pelts-georgia-4-die-in-flood.html. Retrieved 2010-05-12. 
  9. ↑ http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/html/torfotos51108.shtml
  10. ↑ Southern Scribe
  11. ↑ While Woolfolk was convicted and hung for the crime, he never confessed, and a note found on a lynched man has cast doubt on his guilt.
  12. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Macon Weather". http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-georgia/macon-weather.asp. Retrieved October 3, 2007. 
  14. ↑ METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENTS, Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-08-01.
  15. ↑ MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENTS, Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-08-01.
  16. ↑ COMBINED STATISTICAL AREAS AND COMPONENT CORE BASED STATISTICAL AREAS, Office of Management and Budget, 2007-05-11. Accessed 2008-08-01.
  17. ↑ http://www.warner-robins.com/our_community/RobinsAirForceBase.asp
  18. ↑ Georgia Music Hall of Fame. "Alan Walden - Georgia Music Hall of Fame 2003 Inductee". georgiamusicstore.com. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
  19. ↑ Georgia Music Hall of Fame website
  20. ↑ Macon Symphony Orchestra Website
  21. ↑ Middle Georgia Concert Band website
  22. ↑ [4]
  23. ↑ [5]
  24. ↑ http://www.historicmacon.org/slc.html
  25. ↑ http://www.georgiachildrensmuseum.com/
  26. ↑ http://www.cannonballhouse.org/
  27. ↑ http://www.georgiamusic.org
  28. ↑ History of TBI, Synagogue website. Accessed August 28, 2009.
  29. ↑ [6]
  30. ↑ Covenant Academy
  31. ↑ Macon's Sister City Program, Retrieved June 27, 2010.

External links

Atlanta
Columbus Savannah
   Macon    
Valdosta
Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley Combined Statistical Area
Principal cities
Macon • Warner Robins • Fort Valley
 Map of the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley CSA
Municipalities
Allentown • Byron • Centerville • Culloden • Danville • Forsyth • Gray • Jeffersonville • Perry • Roberta
Other
communities
Avondale • Bolingbroke • Bonaire • Clinchfield • Dunbar • Elberta • Elko • Franklinton • Haddock • Juliette • Kathleen • Knoxville • Lizella • Musella • Robins AFB • Sofkee • Smarr • Walden
Counties
Bibb • Crawford • Houston • Jones • Monroe • Peach • Twiggs
CSA
components
Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area • Warner Robins Metropolitan Statistical Area • Fort Valley Micropolitan Statistical Area
Municipalities and communities of Bibb County, Georgia
County seat: Macon
Cities

Macon‡ | Payne
Unincorporated
communities

Avondale | Franklinton | Lizella | Sofkee | Walden
Footnotes

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Municipalities and communities of Jones County, Georgia
County seat: Gray
City

Gray | Macon‡
Unincorporated
community

Haddock
Footnotes

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
 State of Georgia
Atlanta (capital)
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