Fitzgerald, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fitzgerald, Georgia
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City
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Fitzgerald City Hall
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| Motto(s):
"History, Harmony, Heritage"
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Location in Ben Hill County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Georgia | ||
| Counties | Ben Hill and Irwin | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 9.13 sq mi (23.64 km2) | ||
| • Land | 8.98 sq mi (23.25 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 361 ft (110 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,006 | ||
| • Density | 1,003.23/sq mi (387.34/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
31750
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| Area code | 229 | ||
| FIPS code | 13-29528 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0355809 | ||
Fitzgerald is a city in south central Georgia, USA. It is the main city of Ben Hill County. In 2020, about 9,000 people lived there. Fitzgerald is also the biggest city in the Fitzgerald micropolitan area. This area includes all of Ben Hill and Irwin counties. A small part of Fitzgerald is in Irwin County.
Contents
History of Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald was started in 1895 by Philander H. Fitzgerald. He was a newspaper editor from Indianapolis. He had also been a drummer boy in the Union Army during the Civil War. He wanted to create a special community for veterans from both sides of the war. Most of the first 2,700 residents were Union veterans. The city officially became a town on December 2, 1896. Fitzgerald is less than 15 miles from where Confederate president Jefferson Davis was captured in 1865.
A Planned City's Design
Fitzgerald is one of the few cities in the United States that was carefully planned. The city was designed as a perfect square. Streets crossed to divide it into four main areas, called wards. Each ward then had four blocks, and each block had sixteen smaller squares.
The streets running north and south on the east side of the city were named after Confederate ships and generals. On the west side, the streets were named after Union ships and generals. This unique design honored both sides of the Civil War.
Coming Together in Peace
About a year after the city was founded, the citizens planned a Thanksgiving parade. At first, they planned separate parades for Union and Confederate veterans. But when the band started to play, the Confederate veterans joined the Union veterans. They all marched together under the United States flag. This showed how the community was coming together.
The Wild Chickens of Fitzgerald
In recent years, the city has an unofficial mascot: the red junglefowl. These are wild chickens originally from the Indian subcontinent. In the late 1960s, a few of these chickens were set free in the woods around Fitzgerald. They have lived and grown in number there ever since.
Geography and Location
Fitzgerald is located in south central Georgia. Its exact coordinates are 31°42′56″N 83°15′23″W. U.S. Route 129 goes through the middle of the city. It leads north to towns like Abbeville and Macon. It also goes south to Ocilla and Lakeland.
U.S. Route 319 also passes through Fitzgerald. This route goes northeast to McRae and Dublin. It goes southwest to Tifton.
City Area
The United States Census Bureau says that Fitzgerald covers a total area of about 9.1 square miles (23.3 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 8.9 square miles (22.9 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.15 square miles (0.4 square kilometers), is water.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,817 | — | |
| 1910 | 5,795 | 218.9% | |
| 1920 | 6,870 | 18.6% | |
| 1930 | 6,412 | −6.7% | |
| 1940 | 7,388 | 15.2% | |
| 1950 | 8,130 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,781 | 8.0% | |
| 1970 | 8,187 | −6.8% | |
| 1980 | 10,187 | 24.4% | |
| 1990 | 8,612 | −15.5% | |
| 2000 | 8,758 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 9,053 | 3.4% | |
| 2020 | 9,006 | −0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,392 | 37.66% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,804 | 53.34% |
| Native American | 38 | 0.42% |
| Asian | 74 | 0.82% |
| Other/Mixed | 295 | 3.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 403 | 4.47% |
In 2020, the United States census counted 9,006 people living in Fitzgerald. There were 3,346 households and 1,932 families. By 2022, a small part of the city was in Irwin County. However, no people lived in that specific part.
Arts and Culture
The Dorminy-Massee House is a historic home in Fitzgerald. It was built in 1915 by J. J. (Captain Jack) Dorminy. This two-story, colonial-style house is now a bed and breakfast. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Blue and Gray Museum is located in an old railroad depot from 1908. It displays many items that tell the story of how Fitzgerald was founded. The city also has an art gallery. It is located in the Carnegie library building near downtown.
Education in Fitzgerald
The Ben Hill County School District serves all of Ben Hill County. It provides education from pre-school through twelfth grade. The district has one pre-school, one primary school, an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. There are 217 full-time teachers and over 3,395 students.
- Ben Hill County PreK
- Ben Hill County Primary School
- Ben Hill County Elementary School
- Ben Hill County Even Start
- Ben Hill County Middle School
- Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy
Even though a part of Fitzgerald is in Irwin County, no one lives in that section. So, the Irwin County School District does not serve any residents of Fitzgerald.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College – Ben Hill-Irwin Campus is also located nearby. It offers technical and college courses.
Media Outlets
Fitzgerald has several local media options. These include radio stations and a newspaper.
- WRDO Real Radio 96.9
- Herald Leader Newspaper (Fitzgerald)
- WSWG, CBS TV
- CW44, CW TV
- WSWG2, My Network TV
- WOKA Dixie Country 106.7
- WOBB B-100
- WSIZ Radio MyFM 102.3 (Fitzgerald) @ 99.9 (Douglas)
Baseball Teams in Fitzgerald's Past
Fitzgerald used to have minor league baseball teams. These teams played in different leagues over the years.
The Fitzgerald Pioneers
From 1948 to 1952, Fitzgerald was home to the Fitzgerald Pioneers. This team played in the Georgia State League. They were not connected to any major league baseball team. After the 1952 season, the Pioneers moved to Sandersville. They became the Sandersville Wacos.
The Fitzgerald Redlegs
In 1953, the Moultrie Giants team moved to Fitzgerald. They were part of the Georgia–Florida League. This team became connected with the Cincinnati Redlegs. For the 1954 season, they changed their name to the Fitzgerald Redlegs. After two years, the team moved back to Moultrie.
The Fitzgerald A's and Orioles
Fitzgerald did not have a team in 1955. But in 1956, the Cordele team moved to Fitzgerald. They became connected with the Kansas City A's, and the team was called the Fitzgerald A's. In 1957, the team changed its connection to the Baltimore Orioles. They were then known as the Fitzgerald Orioles. After the 1957 season, this team moved to Dublin, Georgia. Fitzgerald has not had a minor league baseball team since then.
Famous People from Fitzgerald
Many notable people have come from Fitzgerald.
- Morris B. Abram: A civil rights leader and former president of Brandeis University.
- Brainard Cheney: A well-known author.
- Neal Colzie: A former NFL defensive back.
- General Raymond G. Davis: A USMC general and a hero from World War II and the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor.
- Abner Jay: A blues musician.
- Frances Mayes: A famous author.
- Charlie Paulk: The seventh pick in the 1968 NBA draft.
- Jason Poe: An NFL offensive guard.
- Joe Reliford: The youngest professional baseball player ever.
- Lecitus Smith: An NFL guard.
- Forrest Towns: A 1936 Summer Olympics track star.
- Jemea Thomas: A former NFL cornerback.
- Mary Verner: A politician who served as Mayor of Spokane, Washington.
See also
In Spanish: Fitzgerald (Georgia) para niños
