Fort Valley, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Valley
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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 Georgia, USA. It is the main city, or "county seat," of Peach County. In 2020, about 8,780 people lived there.
Fort Valley is part of the larger Warner Robins and Macon–Warner Robins areas.
Contents
History of Fort Valley
The city's name is a bit of a puzzle. It has never had a fort! Historians think the name might have been changed by mistake. The area was probably first called Fox Valley.
Fort Valley was started in 1836. It became a town in 1854 and a city in 1907. In 1924, it was chosen as the main city for the new Peach County.
During World War II, in 1943, Life magazine wrote a story about Fort Valley. The story was about a special "Ham and Egg Show." This show was a contest for African-American farmers in Peach County to show off their best ham and poultry.
Geography and Location
Fort Valley is in the middle part of Georgia. A main road, U.S. Route 341, goes right through the city. From Fort Valley, Roberta is about 15 miles (24 km) northwest. Perry is about 12 miles (19 km) southeast.
Other state roads also pass through Fort Valley:
State Route 49
State Route 96
State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway)
The Fall Line Freeway is a big four-lane highway. It runs north of the city.
The city covers about 5.3 square miles (13.7 square kilometers) of land.
People of Fort Valley
| 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 1850-1870 1870-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
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In 2020, there were 8,780 people living in Fort Valley. These people lived in 3,040 households. About 1,685 families called the city home.
What the 2020 Census Shows
| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 992 | 11.3% |
| Black or African American (not 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% |
Economy and Jobs
Fort Valley is home to the main office of the Blue Bird Corporation. This company makes many school buses and other activity buses. Blue Bird opened its first factory in Fort Valley in 1935.
Sports in Fort Valley
Football
Even though Fort Valley is a smaller city, it has a very strong football team. The Peach County High Trojans are known for being one of the best teams in Georgia. They have played in eight state championship games since 1990. They have also made the playoffs every year since then.
- 1992 AAA State Runners-Up (second place)
- 1998 AAA State Runners-Up
- 2003 AAA State Runners-Up
- 2005 AAA State Champions (first place)
- 2006 AAA State Champions
- 2009 AAA State Champions
- 2011 AAA State Runners-Up
- 2017 AAA State Runners-Up
Track and Field
- 1993 AAA 4x100 Relay State Champions (Greg Streeter, Jacquez Green, Marcus Robinson, Melvin Oats)
Arts and Culture
Places to Visit
- Massee Lane Gardens
- Blue Bird Corporation headquarters (their only plant in Georgia)
Education in Fort Valley
Public Schools
The Peach County School District teaches students from pre-school all the way to twelfth grade. The district has three elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. There are about 270 full-time teachers. Over 3,927 students attend these schools.
- Byron Elementary School
- Hunt Elementary School
- Kay Road Elementary School
- Byron Middle School
- Fort Valley Middle School
- Peach County High School
Colleges and Universities
Fort Valley is also home to Fort Valley State University. This is a historically black college.
Important People from Fort Valley
Many notable people have connections to Fort Valley:
- Louie Crew (1936–2019), a professor, poet, and activist.
- Antone Davis (born 1967), a former National Football League player.
- Jacquez Green (born 1976), a former NFL wide receiver.
- Dick Hartley (1900–1978), a college football player.
- Harold Houser (1897–1981), a United States Navy Rear Admiral.
- Edward H. Hurst (1916–1997), a Marine Corps Brigadier General.
- Louis Ivory (born 1980), a former college football player.
- Kearis Jackson (born 1999), a wide receiver for the Georgia Bulldogs.
- Benny Johnson (1948–1988), an NFL player.
- Pete Johnson (born 1954), a former NFL player.
- Greg Lloyd (born 1965), a former NFL player.
- Danny Lockett (born 1964), a former NFL player.
- Randy McMichael (born 1979), a former NFL player.
- Marcus Robinson (born 1975), a former NFL wide receiver.
- A. T. Walden (1885–1965), a lawyer and civil rights leader.
- Tim Watson (born 1970), a former NFL safety.
Images for kids
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A water tower in Fort Valley
See also
In Spanish: Fort Valley para niños
