Bainbridge is a city in Decatur County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Decatur County.[6] As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 14,468, up from 12,697 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Bainbridge, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area and a principal city in the Tallahassee—Bainbridge, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area.
Bainbridge, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Bainbridge City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "Georgia's First Inland Port"[1] | |
 Location in Decatur County and the state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 30°54′17″N 84°34′16″W / 30.90472°N 84.57111°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Decatur |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Edward Reynolds |
| Area | |
• City | 21.00 sq mi (54.40 km2) |
| • Land | 19.78 sq mi (51.22 km2) |
| • Water | 1.23 sq mi (3.18 km2) |
| Elevation | 121 ft (37 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 14,468 |
| • Density | 731.59/sq mi (282.47/km2) |
| • Metro | 27,842 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 39817, 39819 |
| Area code | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-04896[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0354431[4] |
| Website | bainbridgecity |
History
editThe first European settlement in what is today Bainbridge was a trading post set up by James Burges in the late 18th century. From him comes the name Burges's Bluff.[7]: 120 The town was named after U.S. Navy Commodore William Bainbridge,[8] commander of the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), and was incorporated on December 22, 1829.[5]
In 1824, Bainbridge was designated seat of the newly formed Decatur County.[9]
On October 10, 2018, Bainbridge fell victim to Hurricane Michael. The storm left widespread damage through the city limits, including downed trees, power lines, and structural damage. Many residents affected suffered severe damage to their homes.
Geography
editBainbridge is located in the center of Decatur County. The city is in southwestern Georgia along U.S. Routes 27 and 84, which form a bypass around the southern part of the city. U.S. Route 27 leads southeast 42 miles (68 km) to Tallahassee, Florida, and north 128 miles (206 km) to Columbus. U.S. Route 84 leads east 38 miles (61 km) to Thomasville and northwest 54 miles (87 km) to Dothan, Alabama. Other highways which run through the city include Georgia State Routes 97, 253, 309, and 311.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.1 square miles (52.0 km2), of which 18.8 square miles (48.7 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2), or 6.40%, is water.[10]
Bainbridge is located on the Flint River, which flows southwest to meet the Chattahoochee. Together they form the Apalachicola River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. At the junction of the two rivers, the Jim Woodruff Dam forms Lake Seminole. A system of locks at the dam allows barge traffic to travel between the inland port at Bainbridge and the Gulf of Mexico.
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,869 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,351 | −27.7% | |
| 1880 | 1,436 | 6.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,668 | 16.2% | |
| 1900 | 2,641 | 58.3% | |
| 1910 | 4,217 | 59.7% | |
| 1920 | 4,792 | 13.6% | |
| 1930 | 6,141 | 28.2% | |
| 1940 | 6,352 | 3.4% | |
| 1950 | 7,562 | 19.0% | |
| 1960 | 12,714 | 68.1% | |
| 1970 | 10,887 | −14.4% | |
| 1980 | 10,553 | −3.1% | |
| 1990 | 10,712 | 1.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,722 | 9.4% | |
| 2010 | 12,697 | 8.3% | |
| 2020 | 14,468 | 13.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,106 | 35.29% |
| Black or African American | 8,106 | 56.03% |
| Native American | 31 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 117 | 0.81% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 336 | 2.32% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 768 | 5.31% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,468 people, 4,471 households, and 3,111 families residing in the city.
Economy
editIt was announced in December 2019 that Brazil-based gun manufacturer Taurus had been granted a $39 million tax-incentive package to move from the Miami, Florida area to Bainbridge in return for creating 300 jobs. The package includes $20 million for construction, $7.9 million in tax credits, $4.5 million for infrastructure, $4.3 million in property-tax abatements, and $3 million for equipment, in addition to a land lease arrangement of $1/year for 73 acres (30 hectares) of land. The subsidy totals $130,000 per job.[13]
Arts and culture
editArts
edit- The Firehouse Gallery Art Gallery
- Bainbridge Little Theatre
Annual cultural events
editRiver Town Days is held each year the second weekend of March.
The Swine Time Festival and Decatur County Fall Festival and Fair are annual events.[5]
National Register of Historic Places
editThe Decatur County Courthouse was constructed in 1902, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5] Also listed on the Register is the First African Missionary Baptist Church.[14]
Public library
editThe Decatur County Gilbert H. Gragg Library is located in Bainbridge. The library serves the population of Decatur County and acts as the headquarters for the Southwest Georgia Regional Library.[15]
Education
editDecatur County School District
editThe Decatur County School District holds pre-school to grade 12, and consists of two primary schools, one elementary school, one middle school, and a high school.[16] The district has 384 full-time teachers and over 5,782 students.[17]
Schools include:[18]
- Jones-Wheat Primary School (grades PreK-2)
- West Bainbridge Primary School (grades PreK-2)
- Hutto Elementary School (grades 3–5)
- Bainbridge Middle School (grades 6–8)
- Bainbridge High School (grades 9–12)
Other schools
edit- Grace Christian Academy (PreK-12)
- Spring Creek Charter Academy (PreK-10)
Parks and recreation
editThe Bainbridge-Decatur County YMCA opened on September 15, 1986. Its building had a cost of $1,000,000.[19]
Infrastructure
editTransportation
editThe city is a seaport linked to the Gulf of Mexico via Florida's Apalachicola River. Officially known as Port Bainbridge, these facilities are managed entirely by the Georgia Ports Authority.
The Decatur County Industrial Air Park, located 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the city, provides general aviation service to the community.
Notable people
edit- James Butler, NFL player
- Alfred Corn, poet and essayist; born Bainbridge, raised in Valdosta
- Marvin Griffin, former Georgia governor
- Miriam Hopkins, Academy Award-nominated film actress
- Paul Kwilecki, documentary photographer
- Jason Lancaster, Singer and guitarist of Mayday Parade, singer of Go Radio, and solo career
- Dameon Pierce, NFL player - Houston Texans
- Brian Powell, former MLB pitcher - Drafted by Detroit Tigers
- David Ross, MLB catcher, two-time World Series champion, Dancing with the Stars contestant
- Kirby Smart, head football coach for the University of Georgia
- Travis Smith, former drummer of Trivium
- Young Stribling, professional heavyweight boxer
References
edit- ^ "City of Bainbridge website". City of Bainbridge Georgia. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b c d "Bainbridge". Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Cox, Dale; Conrad, Rachael (2017). Fowltown. Neamathla, Tutakosi Talofa & the first battle of the Seminole Wars. Old Kitchen Books. ISBN 978-0692977880.
- ^ "Profile for Bainbridge, Georgia, GA". ePodunk. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 220. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Bainbridge city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved October 20, 2015.[dead link]
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ Polly Mosendz; Caleb Melby (December 19, 2019), "Gunmaker Gets $39 Million From Taxpayers for 300 Small-Town Jobs", Bloomberg Business
- ^ Steven Moffson (June 2001). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: First African Missionary Baptist Church". National Park Service. with 12 photos
- ^ "Homepage". Southwest Georgia Regional Library System. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- ^ Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link], Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ School Stats, Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Our Schools". Decatur County School District. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ "Too small for a YMCA? … No way!". The Post Searchlight. March 21, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2021. - Author was the interim CEO of the YMCA.
Further reading
edit- Rogers, William Warren (2000). ""Death has Been Busily at Work": Yellow Fever at Bainbridge in 1873". The Georgia Historical Quarterly. 84 (3): 410–433. ISSN 0016-8297.
External links
edit- City of Bainbridge official website
- "Bainbridge" entry in New Georgia Encyclopedia
- South Georgia Historic Newspapers Archive - Digital Library of Georgia