Fort Valley, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Valley, Georgia
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Fort Valley City Hall
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| Nickname(s):
"Peach Capital of Georgia"
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| Motto(s):
"Where Caring Is A Way Of Life"
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Location in Peach County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Peach |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.55 sq mi (19.56 km2) |
| • Land | 7.54 sq mi (19.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 518 ft (158 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,780 |
| • Density | 1,164.77/sq mi (449.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
31030
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| Area code(s) | 478 |
| FIPS code | 13-31096 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0355881 |
| Website | Fort Valley website |
Fort Valley is a city in and the county seat of Peach County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 8,780.
The city is in the Warner Robins metropolitan area and the Macon–Warner Robins combined statistical area.
Contents
History
The town's name is a mystery, as it has never had a fort. Historians believe that the name was mistakenly changed in a transcription error when the post office was named; the area was originally thought to have been called Fox Valley.
Founded in 1836, Fort Valley was incorporated as a town in 1854 and as a city in 1907. In 1924 Fort Valley was the designated seat of the newly formed Peach County.
Fort Valley was the backdrop for a Life magazine feature story in the March 22, 1943 edition. The World War II-era story focused on the town's sponsoring of the "Ham and Egg Show," a contest held by African-American farmers to highlight ham and poultry production in Peach County, Georgia.
Geography
Fort Valley is located at 32°33′N 83°53′W / 32.550°N 83.883°W (32.55, -83.89).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.3 square miles (14 km2), all land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,333 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,277 | −4.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,752 | 37.2% | |
| 1900 | 2,022 | 15.4% | |
| 1910 | 2,697 | 33.4% | |
| 1920 | 3,223 | 19.5% | |
| 1930 | 4,560 | 41.5% | |
| 1940 | 4,953 | 8.6% | |
| 1950 | 6,820 | 37.7% | |
| 1960 | 8,310 | 21.8% | |
| 1970 | 9,251 | 11.3% | |
| 1980 | 9,000 | −2.7% | |
| 1990 | 8,198 | −8.9% | |
| 2000 | 8,005 | −2.4% | |
| 2010 | 9,815 | 22.6% | |
| 2020 | 8,780 | −10.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 992 | 11.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 6,825 | 77.73% |
| Native American | 14 | 0.16% |
| Asian | 23 | 0.26% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 213 | 2.43% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 712 | 8.11% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,780 people, 3,040 households, and 1,685 families residing in the city.
Arts and culture
Points of interest
Economy
Fort Valley is the corporate headquarters of the Blue Bird Corporation, a large manufacturer of activity buses and school buses, which opened its first Fort Valley facility in 1935.
Education
Public schools
The Peach County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of three elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. The district has 270 full-time teachers and over 3,927 students.
- Byron Elementary School
- Hunt Elementary School
- Kay Road Elementary School
- Byron Middle School
- Fort Valley Middle School
- Peach County High School
Colleges and universities
The city is home to Fort Valley State University, a historically-black college.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Highways
U.S. Route:
U.S. Route 341
State Routes:
State Route 7
State Route 42
State Route 49
State Route 96
Notable people
- Louie Crew, emeritus professor at Rutgers University, poet and activist, taught at Fort Valley State from 1973–1979
- Antone Davis, former National Football League offensive lineman, born in Fort Valley
- Jacquez Green, former National Football League wide receiver and punt returner, born in Fort Valley
- Harold Houser, United States Navy Rear admiral, and the 35th Governor of American Samoa, born in Fort Valley
- Edward H. Hurst, Brigadier general in the Marine Corps and recipient of Navy Cross, born in Fort Valley
- Louis Ivory, former college football running back, 2000 Walter Payton Award winner, born in Fort Valley
- Benny Johnson, NFL player
- Pete Johnson, former NFL player
- Greg Lloyd, Sr., former NFL player, attended Fort Valley State 1983-86
- Dannie Lockett, former NFL player
- Randy McMichael, former NFL player for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and the St.Louis Rams
- Marcus Robinson, former National Football League wide receiver, born in Fort Valley
- Tim Watson, former American football safety in the National Football League, born in Fort Valley
See also
In Spanish: Fort Valley para niños
