Griffin, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Griffin, Georgia "The Iris City"
City
Griffin City Hall.
Motto(s):  Growing, Together
Location in Spalding County and the state of Georgia
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Spalding
Named for	Col. Lewis Lawrence Griffin
Area
• Total	14.12 sq mi (36.57 km2)
• Land	13.98 sq mi (36.22 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.35 km2)
Elevation	978 ft (298 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	23,478
• Density	1,678.80/sq mi (648.18/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	30223-30224
Area code(s)	770
FIPS code	13-35324
GNIS feature ID	0356111

Griffin is a city in Georgia, United States. It is the main city in Spalding County. Griffin is also part of the larger Atlanta metropolitan area.

In 2020, about 23,478 people lived in Griffin. The city was started in 1840. It was named after Col. Lewis Lawrence Griffin, who owned the land.

Griffin, Georgia: A City Overview

Griffin is home to a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College. The University of Georgia also has a campus here.

History of Griffin

Griffin became an important place when the Macon and Western Railroad reached it in 1842. This helped the city grow.

In 1938, a woman named Alma Lovell was giving out religious papers. The city had a rule that she needed special permission first. The U.S. Supreme Court later said that the city's rule was against her rights to share information freely. This was an important decision for freedom of speech.

The International Order of Odd Fellows Building, built in 1894.

The older part of Griffin, called the Griffin Commercial Historic District, is a special area. It includes buildings like the Griffin Grocery Company Building, which is now the Welcome Center.

In January 2023, a strong tornado hit the western part of Griffin. It was one of several tornadoes that day. This tornado caused damage and injured 18 people.

Where is Griffin?

Griffin is located in Georgia at coordinates 33.247602 degrees North and 84.270891 degrees West.

The city covers about 14.6 square miles (37.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Who Lives in Griffin?

The city's population was 23,478 in 2020. Over the years, Griffin has grown quite a bit.

In 2020, there were 23,478 people living in Griffin. These people lived in 8,945 homes, with 5,347 of those being families.

Learning and Schools

The Griffin-Spalding County School District serves students from pre-school through twelfth grade. There are eleven elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. The district has over 10,648 students and 661 full-time teachers.

Griffin Technical College started in Griffin in 1963. It later merged, and now a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College is in Griffin. The University of Georgia also has a campus in Griffin.

The Griffin Region College & Career Academy is a public school. It helps students get ready for college and jobs. They can take college courses while still in high school. The Civil Air Patrol also has a program at the Griffin–Spalding County Airport. It teaches students about aerospace, aviation, and STEM careers.

Fun and Games

Griffin offers many ways to have fun and stay active!

Sports for Everyone

• The Spalding County Pickleball Association has courts at Wyomia Tyus Olympic Park. Anyone can play there.
• The Spalding County Special Olympics Bowling Team bowls every Thursday.
• The Spalding County Leisure Services Department has youth sports. These include baseball, basketball, softball, soccer, and swimming.
• Adults can also play softball, kickball, and basketball.
• There are over 21 golf courses close to Griffin.
• Spalding County is known as the disc golf capital of the southeast. It has four disc golf courses.

Past Sports Teams

Griffin used to have several minor league baseball teams:

• The Griffin Lightfoots (1915–1916) and Griffin Griffs (1917) played in the Georgia-Alabama League.
• Griffin also had teams in the Georgia State League (1920, 1921).
• The Griffin Pimientos (1947–1949, 1951) were a team linked to the St. Louis Browns. The Griffin Tigers played in 1950.

News and Entertainment

Local Media

• The Griffin Daily News is the local newspaper. It started in 1872.
• WMVV is a local Christian radio station.
• WKEU (AM) plays oldies music.
• WYFK has a Christian translator station in Griffin.
• The University of Georgia Griffin Campus has a news radio station at 88.9FM.

Arts and Culture

• The Griffin Ballet Theatre started in 1994.
• The Main Street Players professional theater began in 2001.
• Camelot Theatre Company was founded in 1998.
• The Griffin Museum is in the Welcome Center. It shows items from Griffin's history, some from the 1800s.
• Griffin Choral Arts is a group of 50 singers. They perform four big concerts each year.
• The Griffin Music Club started in 1942.
• The Griffin Area Concert Association began in 1969. They bring national and international artists to perform.
• The Griffin Spalding Historical Society started in 1969. They offer tours of the Bailey-Tebault House.
• The Griffin-Spalding Athletic Hall of Fame began in 1983.
• Since 1962, the city has had an annual Christmas parade with floats and marching bands.
• Kiwanis of Griffin, a community service club, was founded in 1940.

Griffin in Movies and TV

Griffin has been a filming location for many movies and television shows.

Famous People from Griffin

Many notable people have connections to Griffin:

• Morgan Alexander – racing driver.
• Bill Anderson – country singer.
• Edward Andrews – film and television actor.
• Lewis White Beck – philosopher and writer.
• Tim Beckham – professional baseball player.
• Brian Bohannon – college football coach.
• James S. Boynton – politician and former Governor of Georgia.
• Jody Breeze – rapper.
• Thomas Jefferson Byrd – actor.
• Charlie Clemons – football player, Super Bowl winner.
• Chris Clemons – NFL defensive end, Super Bowl winner.
• Nic Clemons – football player.
• Elbert Dubenion – football player for the Buffalo Bills.
• Rick Dyer – Bigfoot enthusiast.
• John J. Eagan – industrialist.
• Jack Flynt – lawyer and U.S. Congressman.
• Willie Gault – NFL wide receiver and Olympic athlete.
• Nick Hamilton – pro wrestling referee.
• Darrin Hancock – basketball player.
• J. C. Hendrix – racing driver.
• Doc Holliday – famous dentist and gunfighter from the American West.
• John McIntosh Kell – officer in the Confederate Navy.
• Jan Kemp – academic who brought attention to issues in college sports.
• Sidney Lanier – poet, lawyer, and musician.
• Lauren-Ashley – country singer.
• Sonia Leigh – country singer-songwriter.
• Sherrod Martin – former NFL defensive back.
• Karen Mathiak – chiropractor and Georgia state legislator.
• Josh Pace – professional basketball player.
• Bobby Rainey – football running back.
• Henry L. Sherman – lawyer and judge.
• Kyle Stemberger – record producer.
• Ben Talley – football player.
• Dox Thrash – printmaker and painter.
• Stephen J. Townsend – U.S. Army general.
• Jessie Tuggle – football linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons.
• Wyomia Tyus – Olympic gold medalist in track and field.
• Rayfield Wright – Hall of Fame offensive tackle.
• John P. Yates – Georgia state legislator.

See also

In Spanish: Griffin (Georgia) para niños