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Oglethorpe, Georgia

Coordinates: 32°17′36″N 84°3′45″W / 32.29333°N 84.06250°W / 32.29333; -84.06250
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Not to be confused with Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Oglethorpe, Georgia
City
Oglethorpe municipal building in Oglethorpe
Oglethorpe municipal building in Oglethorpe
Location in Macon County and the state of Georgia
Location in Macon County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°17′36″N 84°3′45″W / 32.29333°N 84.06250°W / 32.29333; -84.06250
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyMacon
Area
[1]
 • Total2.05 sq mi (5.32 km2)
 • Land2.01 sq mi (5.20 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation
341 ft (104 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total995
 • Density496.01/sq mi (191.49/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
31068
Area code478
FIPS code13-57736[3]
GNIS feature ID0332561[4]
Websitewww.cityofoglethorpe.com

Oglethorpe is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 995 at the 2020 census,[2] down from 1,328 in 2010. The city is the county seat of Macon County.[5] It was named for Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe.

History

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Oglethorpe was founded in 1838. It was located in the Black Belt of Georgia, where slaves outnumbered whites and did the work to support cultivation of cotton as a commodity crop. Oglethorpe was incorporated as a town in 1849 and as a city in 1852. In 1857, the seat of Macon County was transferred to Oglethorpe from Lanier.[6]

Oglethorpe was once one of the largest cities in southwestern Georgia. Epidemics of malaria and smallpox caused high fatalities in the early 1860s; the remaining residents in Oglethorpe fled south to Americus to escape more disease.[7]

Geography

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Oglethorpe is located in south-central Macon County at 32°17′36″N 84°3′45″W / 32.29333°N 84.06250°W / 32.29333; -84.06250 (32.293328, -84.062616).[8] It sits on high ground west of the Flint River, which forms the boundary between Oglethorpe and the larger city of Montezuma.

Georgia State Route 49 passes through the center of town as Chatham Street. It leads east into Montezuma and northeast 15 miles (24 km) to Marshallville, while to the southwest it leads 20 miles (32 km) to Americus. State Route 90 enters from the north on North Randolph Street and Sumter Street and leaves to the east on Chatham Street. It connects Oglethorpe with Rupert 18 miles (29 km) to the northwest and with Vienna 23 miles (37 km) to the southeast. State Route 128 leaves Oglethorpe to the north with SR 90 but leads 19 miles (31 km) to Reynolds. State Route 26 (Riverview Drive) passes through the south side of Oglethorpe, leading east through Montezuma 36 miles (58 km) to Hawkinsville and west 17 miles (27 km) to Ellaville.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Oglethorpe has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), of which 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2), or 2.34%, are water.[1]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850113—
1860454301.8%
1870400−11.9%
188044210.5%
189048610.0%
190054512.1%
191092469.5%
1920871−5.7%
19309539.4%
19401,04810.0%
19501,20414.9%
19601,169−2.9%
19701,28610.0%
19801,3051.5%
19901,302−0.2%
20001,200−7.8%
20101,32810.7%
2020995−25.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850-1870[10] 1880[11]
1890-1910[12] 1920-1930[13]
1930-1940[14] 1940-1950[15]
1960-1980[16]1990[17]

Oglethorpe first appeared in the 1850 U.S. census.[10]

Oglethorpe, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[18] Pop 2010[19] Pop 2020[20] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 328 376 222 27.33% 28.31% 22.31%
Black or African American alone (NH) 842 893 685 70.17% 67.24% 68.84%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 3 1 2 0.25% 0.08% 0.20%
Asian alone (NH) 9 11 9 0.75% 0.83% 0.90%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 1 0.00% 0.08% 0.10%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 4 0 2 0.33% 0.00% 0.20%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 4 4 21 0.33% 0.30% 2.11%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10 42 53 0.83% 3.16% 5.33%
Total 1,200 1,328 995 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 995 people, 561 households, and 351 families residing in the city.

Education

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Macon County School District

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The Macon County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.[21] The district has 129 full-time teachers and over 2,200 students.[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "P1. Race – Oglethorpe city, Georgia: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 241. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  7. ^ "Oglethorpe, Georgia - Macon County Georgia - Municipalities". Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  8. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ a b "1870 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1870.
  11. ^ "1880 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1880.
  12. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930.
  13. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930. p. 253.
  14. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1940.
  15. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  16. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  17. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1990.
  18. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Oglethorpe, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Oglethorpe, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Oglethorpe, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  21. ^ Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link‍], Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  22. ^ School Stats, Retrieved June 23, 2010.
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