Duluth, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Duluth, Georgia
City
City Hall
Flag Seal Logo
Motto(s):  "Pride in Old and New"
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Gwinnett
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	10.38 sq mi (26.89 km2)
• Land	10.22 sq mi (26.47 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.42 km2)
Elevation	1,060 ft (320 m)
Population
• Estimate  (2021)	31,864
• Density	3,118.69/sq mi (1,204.08/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	30026, 30029, 30095-30099
Area code(s)	470/678/770/404
FIPS code	13-24600
GNIS feature ID	2403514

Duluth (ⁱ/dəˈluːθ/ DƏ-looth) is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) northeast of Atlanta.

In 2020, Duluth had a population of 31,873 people. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 31,864 in 2021.

This busy Atlanta suburb is home to several important places. These include Gwinnett Place Mall, the Gwinnett Civic and Cultural Center, and Gas South Arena. You can also find the Hudgens Center for the Arts and the Red Clay Theater here. Duluth also has Northside Hospital–Duluth and GMC's Glancy Campus, which are both medical facilities. The large farming equipment company AGCO has its main office in Duluth.

Discovering Duluth's Past

Duluth was originally land belonging to the Cherokee people. In the early 1800s, it was mostly a forest where these tribes lived.

During the War of 1812, an old Native American path, later called Old Peachtree Road, was extended. This road connected Fort Peachtree (in what is now Atlanta) with Fort Daniel (near Dacula). When Gwinnett County was formed in 1818, more settlers began to move into the area.

A cotton merchant named Evan Howell built a road connecting his cotton gin to Old Peachtree Road. This new settlement was first known as "Howell's Cross Roads," and later "Howell's Crossing."

How Duluth Got Its Name

In 1871, Howell's Crossing was renamed "Duluth." This happened after the U.S. Congress decided to fund a new railroad line that would run through the community. The town was named after Duluth, Minnesota, a city far away in the Midwest.

The Minnesota city had just gotten its own railroad connection. A politician named J. Proctor Knott made a famous speech making fun of the project. Evan P. Howell, the grandson of the original Evan Howell, jokingly suggested naming the Georgia town Duluth because of this speech.

The railroad helped Duluth's economy grow. A schoolhouse was built in 1871. The first Methodist church started in 1871, and the first Baptist church formed in 1886. Both churches are still active today. Two banks, the Bank of Duluth and the Farmers and Merchants Bank, opened in the early 1900s. However, they did not survive the Great Depression.

In 1922, Alice Harrell Strickland became Georgia's first female mayor. She gave land for a "community forest" and worked to save land for public parks.

Duluth in Modern Times

Duluth grew very quickly in the 1970s and 1980s. This growth happened along with the rest of Gwinnett County. A big project to improve downtown Duluth began in the early 2000s. New buildings, like the Gwinnett Arena near the Gwinnett Convention Center, also helped the city grow.

For much of the 1900s, Duluth was known for having its own hospital, Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital. Many older people in the area were born there. In 2006, a new hospital, Gwinnett Medical Center – Duluth, replaced it. The old hospital site is now GMC's Glancy Campus, which offers rehabilitation and other health services.

Duluth's Location and Climate

Duluth is located in the northeastern part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. It is about 25 miles (40 km) from Downtown Atlanta. The city is in the west-central part of Gwinnett County. To the north, it is bordered by the Chattahoochee River. This river also forms the county line.

Sometimes, parts of Fulton County near Duluth are also thought of as Duluth. Some areas in Forsyth County and Johns Creek also share Duluth's ZIP codes.

Duluth has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average temperature in January is about 41.0°F (5.0°C). In July, the average is about 78.3°F (25.7°C).

People Living in Duluth

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 31,873 people living in Duluth. There were 11,202 households and 7,634 families.

Duluth's Economy and Fun Things to Do

Local Businesses in Duluth

Many different companies have offices or operations in Duluth. Some of these include:

• Advanced Armament Corporation
• AGCO
• Asbury Automotive Group
• Barco
• Broadcom
• Ciba Vision
• Datapath, Inc.
• Given Imaging
• Merial Animal Health
• Nordson
• The OrganWise Guys
• Primerica
• Roper Industries
• Tetra Tech
• ViaSat

Tourism and Attractions in Duluth

Duluth hosts an annual Fall Festival. This fun event takes place on the last weekend of September in the town center.

The Southeastern Railway Museum is also located in Duluth. It is Georgia's official museum for transportation.

Duluth's downtown area has many attractions. The Red Clay Theater is a great place for live performances. Families can also enjoy the playful fountain, which is a refreshing spot for kids. These attractions make downtown Duluth a charming and fun place to visit.

Sports and Recreation in Duluth

Professional Sports Teams

Duluth is home to two professional sports teams:

• The Atlanta Gladiators are a minor league ice hockey team. They play in the ECHL.
• The Georgia Swarm are a professional lacrosse team. They play in the National Lacrosse League.

Both teams play their games at the Gas South Arena.

Golf Courses

The Sugarloaf Country Club golf course has hosted major golf tournaments. These include the AT&T Classic (1997-2008) and the Greater Gwinnett Championship (since 2013).

Parks and Fun Activities

Duluth offers many recreational activities for its citizens. The city manages 7 parks and a Festival Center. You can enjoy sports like tennis and soccer. Ballet and Zumba classes are also available. Swimming is close by at the West Gwinnett Aquatic Center.

The city parks include:

• Bunten Road Park
• Chattapoochee Dog Park
• Church Street Park
• Rogers Bridge Park
• Scott Hudgens Park
• Taylor Park
• W.P. Jones Park
• Shorty Howell Park

Learning in Duluth

Gwinnett County Public Schools manages the public schools in Duluth.

Elementary Schools

• Berkeley Lake Elementary
• Chattahoochee Elementary
• Chesney Elementary
• Harris Elementary
• Mason Elementary
• Parsons Elementary

Middle Schools

• Coleman Middle School
• Duluth Middle School
• Hull Middle School

High Schools

• Duluth High School
• Peachtree Ridge High School

Private Schools

• Atlanta Adventist Academy
• Duluth Junior Academy
• Duluth Montessori School
• Notre Dame Academy

Public Libraries

The Gwinnett County Public Library operates the Duluth Branch.

Getting Around Duluth

Roads and Highways

Duluth is known as a railroad city. You can see trains carrying people and goods throughout the day. The city is also very car-dependent. Important roads like Buford Highway (), Duluth Highway (), Sugarloaf Parkway, and Pleasant Hill Road help traffic move around. These roads connect Duluth to Interstate 85, which leads to central Atlanta.

Public Transportation

Gwinnett County Transit provides public transportation services in the city.

In the past, the Southern Railway ran passenger trains that stopped in Duluth.

Walking and Biking Paths

The West Gwinnett Bikeway is a multi-use trail being built along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. This path will connect Duluth to nearby cities like Berkeley Lake, Norcross, and Suwanee.

Plans are also underway to improve State Bridge Road and Pleasant Hill Road. A new bridge for walkers and bikers will be built over the river. This will make it safer for people to walk and bike. It will also help local businesses and improve traffic flow.

Another big project is the Rogers Bridge project. This project will connect Duluth to Johns Creek by rebuilding a bridge for bikes and pedestrians across the Chattahoochee River. This will allow people to easily access parks and trails in both counties.

Famous People from Duluth

• Robby Bostain (born 1984), American-Israeli basketball player
• Stewart Cink, professional golfer
• Chris Duvall, professional soccer player
• Scott Hall, WWE Hall of Famer
• Nene Leakes, Reality television personality and actress
• Robert L. Lynn, poet
• Brian McCann, MLB player (Atlanta Braves), grew up in Duluth
• MattyB, Viral YouTube musician
• Monica Padman, actor, podcaster, and TV host
• George Rogers, 1980 Heisman Trophy Winner, grew up in Duluth
• Alice Harrell Strickland, first woman elected mayor in Georgia
• Raven-Symoné, actress

See also

In Spanish: Duluth (Georgia) para niños