Fort Gaines, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Gaines, Georgia
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Clay County Courthouse in Fort Gaines
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| Motto(s):
"A historic past - A promising future"
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Location in Clay County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Clay |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.70 sq mi (19.94 km2) |
| • Land | 4.78 sq mi (12.37 km2) |
| • Water | 2.92 sq mi (7.58 km2) |
| Elevation | 226 ft (69 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 995 |
| • Density | 208.38/sq mi (80.45/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
39851
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| Area code(s) | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-30816 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0355877 |
Fort Gaines is a city in Clay County, Georgia, in the United States. It's also the main town, or county seat, of Clay County. In 2020, about 995 people lived there.
Contents
History of Fort Gaines
The town of Fort Gaines was started in 1816. It was built to help protect settlers from the Creek people, who were native to the area. The town grew quickly because of trade using riverboats on the nearby river.
The city is named after General Edmund Pendleton Gaines. Even though the town is named after him, he didn't arrive there until 1816 with the United States Army. A fort with the same name was actually built earlier, in 1814, right on the Chattahoochee River. In 1854, Fort Gaines became the official county seat for the new Clay County.
Geography and Location
Fort Gaines is located on the western side of Clay County. Its western border is the Chattahoochee River, which also marks the state line between Georgia and Alabama.
A large dam called the Walter F. George Lock and Dam crosses the river. This dam is between the northern part of Fort Gaines and Alabama. It creates a big lake known as Walter F. George Lake, or sometimes Lake Eufaula.
Roads and Highways
Several main roads run through Fort Gaines.
- GA-37 goes east and west. It connects Fort Gaines to Edison (about 20 kilometers east) and Abbeville, Alabama (about 14 kilometers west).
- GA-39 runs north and south through the center of town. It leads north to Georgetown (about 23 kilometers) and southeast to Blakely (about 20 kilometers).
- GA-266 starts just north of the city. It goes northeast to Cuthbert (about 22 kilometers).
Area Size
Fort Gaines covers a total area of about 19.9 square kilometers (7.7 square miles). Most of this area, about 12.4 square kilometers (4.8 square miles), is land. The rest, about 7.6 square kilometers (2.9 square miles), is water, making up almost 38% of the city's total area.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 758 | — | |
| 1880 | 867 | 14.4% | |
| 1890 | 1,097 | 26.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,305 | 19.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,320 | 1.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,237 | −6.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,272 | 2.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,357 | 6.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,339 | −1.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,320 | −1.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,255 | −4.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,260 | 0.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,248 | −1.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,110 | −11.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,107 | −0.3% | |
| 2020 | 995 | −10.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850-1870 1870-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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2020 Census Information
In 2020, the United States Census counted 995 people living in Fort Gaines. There were 336 households and 212 families.
Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Fort Gaines in 2020:
| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
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| White (not Hispanic) | 196 | 19.7% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 751 | 75.48% |
| Native American | 1 | 0.1% |
| Asian | 5 | 0.5% |
| Other/Mixed | 31 | 3.12% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11 | 1.11% |
Education in Fort Gaines
Fort Gaines is part of the Clay County School District. This district provides schooling from pre-school up to ninth grade.
The district has:
- Clay County Elementary School
- Clay County Middle School
- A Ninth-Grade Academy
There are about 27 full-time teachers for over 358 students in these schools. Students in grades 10-12 attend high school in the neighboring Randolph County, Georgia.
Famous People from Fort Gaines
Some notable people who have connections to Fort Gaines include:
- Frances Sage Bradley: A doctor who worked in rural areas.
- Mackey Sasser: A professional baseball player.
- Charles Driebe: A music artist manager, known for working with the Blind Boys of Alabama.
See also
In Spanish: Fort Gaines para niños
