Eastman, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eastman, Georgia
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City
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| City of Eastman | ||
Eastman City Hall in Eastman
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| Nicknames:
Candy Capital of Georgia, Azalea City, Paris of the Wiregrass
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Location in Dodge County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Georgia | |
| County | Dodge | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 6.53 sq mi (16.90 km2) | |
| • Land | 6.47 sq mi (16.75 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) | |
| Elevation | 390 ft (119 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,658 | |
| • Density | 875.04/sq mi (337.84/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP code |
31023
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| Area code(s) | 478 | |
| FIPS code | 13-25552 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0355610 | |
Eastman is a city located in Dodge County, Georgia, in the United States. In 2020, about 5,658 people lived there. The city is named after William Pitt Eastman. He bought a large area of land and started a city there.
In the 1800s, Eastman was a busy center for the timber and sawmill industry. Later, in 1937, during the Great Depression, the very first Stuckey's Pecan Shoppe opened in Eastman. Stuckey's became a famous roadside stop across the U.S.
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Eastman's Story: How the City Began
Eastman was founded in 1871. It became the main town, or "seat," for the new Dodge County. It was officially made a town in 1873 and a city in 1905. The city got its name from W. P. Eastman. He and W. E. Dodge gave the county a building for its courthouse.
Around the same time, Ira Roe Foster ran a sawmill in Dodge County. Foster was a former Quartermaster General of Georgia. In 1869, he built a house in the area that would become Eastman. Many people like Foster came to the area for the timber and sawmill business.
During this busy time, it was said that there was a sawmill every two miles along the Macon and Brunswick Railroad. Unlike before, when timber was floated down rivers, these sawmills sent their timber by train. This allowed them to ship wood to places like Brunswick. From there, it went to international markets in cities like Liverpool, Rio de Janeiro, and Havana. When Eastman became a city in 1872, Ira R. Foster was its first mayor.
Where is Eastman Located?
Eastman is right in the middle of Dodge County. Its exact location is 32°11′52″N 83°10′45″W / 32.19778°N 83.17917°W. U.S. Route 23 goes through the center of town. This road leads northwest to Cochran (about 17 miles away). It goes southeast to McRae-Helena (about 20 miles away).
Another main road, U.S. Route 341, goes around the city to the southwest. It leads west to Hawkinsville (about 20 miles away). It also joins US 23 to go southeast to McRae-Helena.
The United States Census Bureau says Eastman covers about 6.5 square miles (16.9 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
How Many People Live in Eastman?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,082 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,235 | 14.1% | |
| 1910 | 2,355 | 90.7% | |
| 1920 | 2,707 | 14.9% | |
| 1930 | 3,022 | 11.6% | |
| 1940 | 3,311 | 9.6% | |
| 1950 | 3,597 | 8.6% | |
| 1960 | 5,118 | 42.3% | |
| 1970 | 5,416 | 5.8% | |
| 1980 | 5,330 | −1.6% | |
| 1990 | 5,153 | −3.3% | |
| 2000 | 5,440 | 5.6% | |
| 2010 | 4,962 | −8.8% | |
| 2020 | 5,658 | 14.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,658 people living in Eastman. The city had 1,916 households and 1,343 families. The population is made up of different groups. About 49% of the people are White (non-Hispanic). About 42% are Black or African American (non-Hispanic). Other groups, including Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and people of mixed races, make up smaller parts of the population. About 4% of the people are Hispanic or Latino.
Fun Things to Do in Eastman
Eastman offers a few ways to have fun. The Dodge County Golf Club has a 9-hole golf course. It also has a swimming pool. This club is located right next to the railroad tracks.
The Eastman-Dodge County Recreational Fields are on Highway 117. They offer public sports for kids. These sports include football, baseball, tee ball, cheerleading, soccer, and girl's flag football.
Learning in Eastman
Dodge County School District
Students in Dodge County from kindergarten to twelfth grade attend schools in the Dodge County School District. This district has a pre-kindergarten school, two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has about 210 full-time teachers. Over 3,500 students attend these schools.
- Dodge County Achievement Center/Performance Learning Center (DAC/PLC)
- Dodge County Primary School (Pre-K/2nd grade)
- Dodge County Elementary School (3rd/5th grade)
- Dodge County Middle School
- Dodge County High School
Colleges and Universities
- Middle Georgia State University — Georgia Aviation Campus. This campus used to be called Georgia Aviation Technical College. It joined with Middle Georgia College.
Peabody School: A Historic Building
Peabody School, also known as Peabody High School, is an old school building. It is on Herman Avenue in Eastman. It was built in 1938. The building was designed by Edward Columbus Hosford, a famous architect from Eastman. He designed many courthouses and other buildings in Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
During a time when schools were separated by race, Peabody School was for all Black students. It closed in 1970. Its students then joined Dodge County High School and other schools in Dodge County that used to be only for white students.
On November 20, 2004, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historic site.
Getting Around Eastman
Air Travel
The Heart of Georgia Regional Airport (airport codes: KEZM, EZM) is a general aviation airport in Eastman. It is on the eastern edge of the city, near SR 46. The airport was built in 1966. It was made to help the growing business needs of Stuckey's. The airport is also home to Middle Georgia State University's Georgia Aviation Center. This is the only state-supported aviation college in Georgia.
Major Roads
US 23
US 341
SR 27
SR 46
SR 87
SR 117
Famous People from Eastman
Many interesting people have connections to Eastman:
- Terry Coleman: He was the Speaker of the House for the Georgia General Assembly from 2003 to 2004.
- Leonard Floyd: A professional football player (linebacker) for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, and Buffalo Bills.
- Ira Roe Foster: The first mayor of Eastman. He was also a Quartermaster General for Georgia and a brigadier general in the Georgia Militia.
- Edward Columbus Hosford: An architect who designed many courthouses, including the Dodge County Courthouse and the Peabody School.
- Martha Hudson: An Olympic athlete. She won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 meter relay at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome.
- Hank Mobley: A famous tenor saxophonist and composer known for hard bop and soul jazz music.
- Hugh Royer, Jr.: A professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour for many years.
- Scott Stuckey: A filmmaker and record producer. He created the children's television show Pancake Mountain.
- W. S. Stuckey, Jr.: A member of the United States House of Representatives for Georgia from 1967 to 1977. He was also the president and later chairman of Stuckey's.
- W. S. Stuckey, Sr.: The person who founded the famous Stuckey's company in 1937.
- Willie Gary: A well-known attorney.
See also
In Spanish: Eastman (Georgia) para niños
