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Buena Vista, Georgia
Buena Vista in 2012
Buena Vista in 2012
Location in Marion County and the state of Georgia
Location in Marion County and the state of Georgia
Country United States
State Georgia
County Marion
Area
 • Total 3.27 sq mi (8.48 km2)
 • Land 3.22 sq mi (8.34 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2)
Elevation
719 ft (219 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,585
 • Density 492.39/sq mi (190.11/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
31803
Area code(s) 229
FIPS code 13-11728
GNIS feature ID 0354903

Buena Vista (pronounced BEW-nə VIS-tə) is a city in Marion County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area. In 2020, about 1,585 people lived there.

The city was once called "Pea Ridge." Its name changed to Buena Vista to honor Zachary Taylor's victory in the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican–American War. Buena Vista is the main city and county seat of Marion County. It is also the birthplace of famous baseball player Josh Gibson and Medal of Honor hero Luther H. Story.

History of Buena Vista

Buena Vista was first settled in 1818 by people from Georgia. A post office opened in 1837, and the town was officially recognized. In 1850, Buena Vista became the county seat of Marion County, taking over from Tazewell.

The town was officially made a city in 1891 and again in 1920. A big fire destroyed much of Buena Vista in 1906. However, the town was quickly rebuilt using brick. After the fire, many European immigrants moved to Buena Vista.

Geography of Buena Vista

Buena Vista is located in the middle of Marion County, in western Georgia. Important roads like State Route 26 and State Route 41 meet in the center of town. State Route 26 goes west to Cusseta and southeast to Ellaville. State Route 41 goes north to Geneva and south to Preston. State Route 137 goes northeast to Tazewell and west-northwest to Union.

The city covers about 3.3 square miles (8.5 square kilometers). A small part of this area, about 0.06 square miles (0.16 square kilometers), is water. Buena Vista is part of the Flint River watershed. This means that water from the city eventually flows into the Flint River. The city sits on a ridge, and water drains away in three different directions.

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 530
1870 525
1880 529 0.8%
1890 788 49.0%
1900 1,161 47.3%
1910 1,016 −12.5%
1920 1,230 21.1%
1930 1,097 −10.8%
1940 1,161 5.8%
1950 1,428 23.0%
1960 1,574 10.2%
1970 1,486 −5.6%
1980 1,544 3.9%
1990 1,472 −4.7%
2000 1,664 13.0%
2010 2,173 30.6%
2020 1,585 −27.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850-1870 1870-1880
1890-1910 1920-1930
1940 1950 1960
1970 1980 1990
2000 2010
Buena Vista racial composition as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 317 20.0%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 970 61.2%
Native American 1 0.06%
Asian 8 0.5%
Other/Mixed 17 1.07%
Hispanic or Latino 272 17.16%

In 2020, there were 1,585 people living in Buena Vista. There were 722 households and 478 families in the city.

Education in Buena Vista

The Marion County School District serves students from pre-school through 12th grade. The district has two main schools:

  • L. K. Moss Primary School (for pre-kindergarten through 5th grade)
  • Marion County Middle High School (for 6th through 12th grade)

The school district has 108 full-time teachers and teaches over 1,686 students. A new middle/high school building, covering 146,000 square feet (13,600 square meters), opened for the 2012–13 school year. It is located on 200 acres of land in the middle of the county.

City Roads

The city is served by Georgia State Route 26, Georgia State Route 41, and Georgia State Route 137.

Famous People from Buena Vista

  • Josh Gibson: A legendary baseball player from the Negro leagues. He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
  • Roosevelt Jackson: The oldest living baseball player from the Negro leagues (he played in the minor leagues).
  • Eddie Owens Martin: An artist who created a unique place called Pasaquan near Buena Vista.
  • Luther H. Story: A brave soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War.

Gallery

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Buena Vista (Georgia) para niños

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