Newnan, Georgia
Newnan, Georgia | |
---|---|
Motto: City of Homes | |
Location ofNewnaninMetro Atlanta | |
Coordinates:33°22′35″N84°47′19″W/ 33.37639°N 84.78861°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
County | Coweta |
Incorporated (city) | December 20, 1828 |
Area | |
• Total | 19.82 sq mi (51.34 km2) |
• Land | 19.48 sq mi (50.44 km2) |
• Water | 0.35 sq mi (0.90 km2) |
Elevation | 971 ft (296 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 42,549 |
• Density | 2,184.80/sq mi (843.58/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5(Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4(EDT) |
ZIP Codes | 30263–30265, 30271 |
Area code(s) | 770,678 |
FIPS code | 13-55020[2] |
GNISfeature ID | 0332499[3] |
Website | newnanga |
Newnanis a city in and thecounty seatofCoweta County, Georgia,United States, about 40 miles (64 km) southwest ofAtlanta.Its population was 42,549 at the2020 census,[4]up from 33,039 in2010.
History
[edit]Newnan was established as county seat of Coweta County (replacing the defunct town of Bullsboro) in 1828, and was named for North Carolinian GeneralDaniel Newnan.It quickly became a prosperous magnet for lawyers, doctors, other professionals, and merchants. Much of Newnan's prosperity was due to its thriving cotton industry, which relied onslavery.
Newnan was largely untouched by theCivil Wardue to its status as a hospital city (for bothUnionandConfederate troops), and as a result still features muchantebellum architecture.[5]During theAtlanta Campaign,Confederate cavalry defeated Union forces at the nearbyBattle of Brown's Mill.Subsequently, architect Kennon Perry (1890–1954) designed many of the town's early 20th-century homes.
On April 23, 1899, a lynching occurred after an African-American man by the name ofSam Hose(born Tom Wilkes) was accused of killing his boss, Alfred Cranford. Hose was abducted from police custody, paraded through Newnan, tortured, and burned alive just north of town by a lynch mob of roughly 2,000 citizens of Coweta County.
Newnan was also host to the trial in 1948 of wealthy landownerJohn Wallace,the first White man in the South to be condemned to death by the testimony ofAfrican Americans,two field hands who were made to help with burning the body of murdered white sharecropper Wilson Turner. These events were portrayed in the novelMurder in Coweta County.
In 1968,Kmartopened a warehouse in Newnan, which slowly established it as a major hub for distribution in the area.[6]TheInternational Brotherhood of Teamstersattempted to unionize the warehouse, but the attempt was defeated when the employees voted 329 to 201 in favor of remaining union-free.[7]In 2015, the distribution center closed with a loss of 164 jobs.[8]
2021 tornado
[edit]In the early morning hours ofMarch 26, 2021,Newnan was directly impacted by aviolent EF4 tornado,which caused substantial structural damage and indirectly killed one person. The tornado was one of the strongest on record in Georgia since 1950, and directly impacted the historic downtown area.[9]Newnan High Schoolwill be re-built after sustaining serious damage.[10]
Geography
[edit]Newnan is located in the center of Coweta County at33°22′35″N84°47′19″W/ 33.37639°N 84.78861°W(33.376411, -84.788648).[11]U.S. Route 29passes through the center of the city, leading northeast 13 miles (21 km) toPalmettoand south 7 miles (11 km) toMoreland.Interstate 85passes through the eastern side of the city, with access from exits 41, 44, and 47. I-85 leads northeast 40 miles (64 km) to downtownAtlantaand southwest 125 miles (201 km) toMontgomery, Alabama.U.S. Route 27Aleads northwest from the center of Newnan 22 miles (35 km) toCarrollton.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau,Newnan has a total area of 18.6 square miles (48.3 km2), of which 0.35 square miles (0.9 km2), or 1.88%, is covered by water.[12]
Climate
[edit]The climate is moderate with an average temperature of 64.3 °F (45.8° in the winter and 79.1° in the summer). The average annual rainfall is 51.84 inches.
Climate data for Newnan, Georgia | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52 (11) |
58 (14) |
65 (18) |
73 (23) |
80 (27) |
86 (30) |
89 (32) |
88 (31) |
83 (28) |
73 (23) |
64 (18) |
55 (13) |
72 (22) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31 (−1) |
33 (1) |
40 (4) |
47 (8) |
56 (13) |
64 (18) |
68 (20) |
67 (19) |
62 (17) |
49 (9) |
41 (5) |
33 (1) |
49 (10) |
Averageprecipitationinches (mm) | 5.49 (139) |
5.14 (131) |
5.95 (151) |
4.17 (106) |
4.37 (111) |
3.99 (101) |
4.66 (118) |
4.00 (102) |
3.24 (82) |
2.86 (73) |
4.18 (106) |
4.27 (108) |
52.32 (1,329) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.8 (2.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
2 (5.06) |
Source: The Weather Channel[13] |
Demographics
[edit]Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 2,546 | — | |
1870 | 1,917 | −24.7% | |
1880 | 2,006 | 4.6% | |
1890 | 2,859 | 42.5% | |
1900 | 3,654 | 27.8% | |
1910 | 5,548 | 51.8% | |
1920 | 7,037 | 26.8% | |
1930 | 6,386 | −9.3% | |
1940 | 7,182 | 12.5% | |
1950 | 8,218 | 14.4% | |
1960 | 12,169 | 48.1% | |
1970 | 11,205 | −7.9% | |
1980 | 11,449 | 2.2% | |
1990 | 12,497 | 9.2% | |
2000 | 16,242 | 30.0% | |
2010 | 33,039 | 103.4% | |
2020 | 42,549 | 28.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[14] |
Race | Number | Percent |
---|---|---|
White(non-Hispanic) | 21,206 | 49.84% |
Black or African American(non-Hispanic) | 13,033 | 30.63% |
HispanicorLatino | 4,521 | 10.63% |
Asian | 1,879 | 4.42% |
Other/mixed | 1,819 | 4.28% |
Native American | 69 | 0.16% |
Pacific Islander | 22 | 0.05% |
As of the2020 United States census,there were 42,549 people, 15,135 households, and 10,013 families residing in the city.
Arts and culture
[edit]The city is home to one of the few Georgia counties with a museum that focuses mainly on African-American history. The Coweta County African American Heritage Museum and Research Center, or Caswell House, was opened in July 2003 in a donated mill village house once owned by Ruby Caswell. The museum sits on Farmer Street on an old, unmarked slave cemetery. It has collected hundreds of family genealogical records by interviewing residents and going through the census records.[16]The museum also houses the Coweta Census Indexes from 1870 to 1920.[17]
The first Black library in the county was the Sara Fisher Brown Library. Built in the 1950s, the library has since been converted into the Community Action For Improvement Center.[18]
The Farmer Street Cemetery is the largest slave cemetery in the South, and may be the largest undisturbed one in the nation. It is within the city limits of Newnan.
Education
[edit]Coweta County School District
[edit]TheCoweta County School Districtholds preschool to grade 12, and consists of 19 elementary schools, seven middle schools, and three high schools.[19]The district has 1,164 full-time teachers and over 18,389 students.[20]
Elementary schools
[edit]- Arbor Springs Elementary
- Arnco-Sargent Elementary
- Atkinson Elementary
- Brooks Elementary
- Canongate Elementary
- Eastside Elementary
- Elm Street Elementary
- Grantville Elementary
- Jefferson Parkway Elementary
- Moreland Elementary
- Newnan Crossing Elementary
- Northside Elementary
- Poplar Road Elementary
- Ruth Hill Elementary
- Thomas Crossroads Elementary
- Western Elementary
- Welch Elementary
- White Oak Elementary
- Willis Road Elementary
- The Heritage School(private)
- Trinity Christian School(private)
Middle schools
[edit]- Arnall Middle School
- Blake Bass Middle School
- East Coweta Middle School
- Evans Middle School
- Lee Middle School
- Madras Middle School
- Smokey Road Middle School
- The Heritage School(private)
- Trinity Christian School(private)
- Odyssey Charter School
High schools
[edit]- Newnan High School
- East Coweta High School
- Northgate High School
- Central Educational Center (Chartered Coweta County School System School)
- The Pentecostal Church of God Christian Academy (private)
- The Heritage School(private)
- Trinity Christian School(private)
Higher education
[edit]Mercer Universityhas a regional academic center in Newnan. The center opened in 2010, and offers programs through the university's College of Continuing and Professional Studies.
TheUniversity of West Georgiahas a campus located in Newnan, near downtown. This campus currently has two undergraduate programs - Bachelor of Science in nursing and early childhood education.[21]
Newnan is also home to a campus ofWest Georgia Technical College.[22]
College Temple,a non-sectarian women's school, operated during the period of 1854–1888.[23]
Transportation
[edit]Major roads
[edit]- Interstate 85
- Outer Perimeter
- State Route 34
- State Route 34 Bypass
- State Route 16
- State Route 70
- Lower Fayetteville Road
- Newnan Crossing Boulevard East
- Newnan Crossing Bypass
- U.S. Route 29
- U.S. Route 27 Alternate
Pedestrians and cycling
[edit]- LINC[24]
Airports
[edit]- Newnan–Coweta County Airportprovides chartered air service and flight training.
Railroads
[edit]Until the mid-1950s theCentral of Georgiaoperated two trains daily in each direction, through Newnan from Atlanta to Columbus, in itsMan O' Warservice. The Central continued a singleMan O' Wartrain until 1971 when Amtrak took over most interstate passenger service.[25][26][27][28]Until 1970, the city was a stop on theSouthern Railway'sCrescentfrom New Orleans to New York City, via Atlanta.[29][30]Into the mid-1960s, the Southern'sCrescentandPiedmont Limitedmade stops in both directions in Newnan.[31]
Notable people
[edit]- Ellis Arnall,governor of Georgia (1943–1947)
- William Yates Atkinson,governor of Georgia (1894–1898)
- Karsten Bailey,formerNational Football League(NFL) wide receiver withSeattle SeahawksandGreen Bay Packers
- Enoch Marvin Banks,historian and educator
- Cam Bedrosian,Major League Baseball(MLB) pitcher for theLos Angeles Angels
- Steve Bedrosian,former MLB pitcher, winner of 1987Cy Young Award
- Hamilton Bohannon,musician and record producer
- Keith Brooking,former linebacker withGeorgia Techand NFL'sAtlanta FalconsandDallas Cowboys
- Erskine Caldwell,novelist and short fiction writer (1903–1987)
- Jack Tarpley Camp Jr.,jurist
- Lewis Grizzard,author and newspaper columnist
- Drew Hill,former NFL wide receiver withHouston Oilers,Los Angeles Rams,andAtlanta Falcons
- Alan Jackson,Country Music Hall of Famemember
- Joe M. Jackson,United States Air Forcecolonel,Medal of Honorrecipient
- Calvin Johnson,former All-Pro NFL wide receiver withDetroit Lions,second selection of2007 NFL draft
- John Keith,former NFL player
- Wil Lutz,NFL kicker withNew Orleans Saints
- Mary Lyndon,first woman to receive degree fromUniversity of Georgia
- Monica,Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur
- Warren Newson,MLB player withChicago White Sox,Texas Rangers
- Alec Ogletree,NFL linebacker
- Stephen W. Pless,Marine Corpsmajor, Medal of Honor recipient
- Ralph Presley,airline pilot and politician
- Rocky Roquemore,international golf course designer
- Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II,(1860–1898), infamous 19th century gambler, confidence man, and crime boss
- Lynn Smith,businesswoman, educator, and politician[32]
- Will Smith,MLB pitcher for theKansas City Royals
- Doug Stone,country musicsinger-songwriter
- Charles Wadsworth,concert pianist, music promoter
- Jerome Walton,MLB player, 1989Rookie of the Year
- Marie Robinson Wright(1853–1914), journalist, traveler, historian, author
- William C. Wright,congressman (1918–1933)
- Steve Young,pioneercountry rockmusician
Television and movies
[edit]- TheABCtelevision seriesOctober Roadwas filmed in Newnan,[33]but is set in the fictional town ofKnights Ridge,Massachusetts.
- The TV movieMurder in Coweta County(1983), based on the book[34]by Margaret Anne Barnes, chronicles actual events that occurred around 1948.[35]
- TheNBCseriesI'll Fly Awaywas filmed in Newnan from 1991 to 1993.[33]
- The 1995 movieFlukewas filmed in Newnan.[33]
- Pet Sematary Two(1992)[36]
- The 1979 movieThe Sheriff and the Satellite Kid(Uno sceriffo extraterrestre... poco extra e molto terrestre) with Bud Spencer takes place and was filmed in Newnan.
- The Walking DeadTV series has several scenes filmed in Newnan, including Newnan High School and Sonrise Baptist Church.[37]
- TheNetflixTV seriesInsatiablewas filmed in Newnan.[38]
- Zombieland(2009)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1(2014)
- The Founder(2016)
- The House with a Clock in Its Walls(2018)
- Lovecraft Country(2019)
References
[edit]- ^"2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedDecember 18,2021.
- ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^"US Board on Geographic Names".United States Geological Survey.October 25, 2007.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
- ^"U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Newnan city, Georgia".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedDecember 16,2021.
- ^"History".www.ci.newnan.ga.us.City of Newnan.RetrievedApril 12,2019.
- ^Mike Clary (March 31, 1992)."Workers Say Kmart Short-Changed Them".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedFebruary 23,2020.
- ^Kmart Corp,316 N.L.R.B. 1175 (N.L.R.B. 1995)
- ^Aaron Hutchins (February 25, 2015)."Sears & Kmart closing update, 25 February 2015".blindbatnews.com.RetrievedFebruary 23,2020.
- ^"Tornado emergency leaves extensive damage across Newnan".WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.March 26, 2021.RetrievedMarch 26,2021.
- ^Leftwich, Rebecca (January 16, 2022)."A new start: Initial plans for rebuilding Newnan High School unveiled".Newnan-Times Herald.RetrievedNovember 8,2022.
- ^"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990".United States Census Bureau.February 12, 2011.RetrievedApril 23,2011.
- ^"Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Newnan city, Georgia".U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived fromthe originalon February 12, 2020.RetrievedJuly 30,2014.
- ^"Monthly Averages for Newnan, GA".Weather.com. 2010.RetrievedMarch 15,2010.
- ^"Census of Population and Housing".Census.gov.RetrievedJune 4,2015.
- ^"Explore Census Data".data.census.gov.RetrievedDecember 14,2021.
- ^Schindler, Madeline (July 24, 2017)."African American Museum remains open".The Newnan Times-Herald.RetrievedApril 12,2019.
- ^Dianne (March 30, 2008)."The Coweta County Museum, Newnan Georgia: Black Firsts in Coweta County".thecowetacountymuseum.blogspot.com.RetrievedApril 5,2018.
- ^"The Coweta County Museum, Newnan Georgia".thecowetacountymuseum.blogspot.com.RetrievedApril 5,2018.
- ^Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link],Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^School Stats,Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^"University of West Georgia- Newnan." University of West Georgia. N.p., 2011. Web. 24 Aug 2011. <http://www.westga.edu/newnan/>.
- ^"Coweta Campus Central Educational Center." West Georgia Technical College. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Aug 2011. <http://www.westgatech.edu/locations/coweta.htmArchived2011-08-17 at theWayback Machine>.
- ^Godey, Louis Antoine; Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell (1856)."COLLEGE TEMPLE, NEWNAN, GEORGIA".Godey's Magazine.52–53. Godey Company: 154–55.RetrievedJanuary 9,2022.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
- ^"LINC construction set to begin".May 11, 2018.
- ^"Central of Georgia Railway, Table 6".Official Guide of the Railways.88(4). National Railway Publication Company. September 1955.
- ^"Central of Georgia Railway".Official Guide of the Railways.99(7). National Railway Publication Company. December 1956.
- ^"Central of Georgia Railway, Table 3".Official Guide of the Railways.102(12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1970.
- ^"Passenger Trains Operating on the Eve of Amtrak" Trains magazinehttp://ctr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/f/7/7/passenger_trains_operating_on_the_eve_of_amtrak.pdf
- ^"Southern Railway, Table A".Official Guide of the Railways.102(5). National Railway Publication Company. October 1969.
- ^"Southern Railway, Table A (rerouted west through Birmingham)".Official Guide of the Railways.102(12). National Railway Publication Company. May 1970.
- ^"Atlanta and West Point Rail Road".Official Guide of the Railways.98(2). National Railway Publication Company. July 1965.
- ^"Lynn Smith's Biography".Vote Smart.RetrievedMarch 29,2021.
- ^abc"Filming in Coweta".Coweta County.Archived fromthe originalon May 10, 2017.RetrievedNovember 4,2016.
- ^"Good Reads Page for Murder in Coweta County book".
- ^"Murder in Coweta County IMDB".IMDb.February 15, 1983.
- ^"Movies".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.2012. Archived fromthe originalon November 4, 2012.
- ^"Newnan Archives – The Walking Dead Locations".The Walking Dead Locations.RetrievedApril 5,2018.
- ^Campbell, Sarah Fay (March 24, 2017)."Two productions filming in downtown Newnan Wednesday".Newnan Times-Herald.RetrievedAugust 10,2018.