kids encyclopedia robot

Lakeland, Georgia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Lakeland, Georgia
Lakeland City Hall and Lakeland Police Department
Lakeland City Hall and Lakeland Police Department
Location in Lanier County and the state of Georgia
Location in Lanier County and the state of Georgia
Country United States
State Georgia
County Lanier
Area
 • Total 3.15 sq mi (8.16 km2)
 • Land 3.10 sq mi (8.04 km2)
 • Water 0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)
Elevation
200 ft (61 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,875
 • Density 926.52/sq mi (357.79/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
31635
Area code(s) 229
FIPS code 13-44592
GNIS feature ID 0356347

Lakeland is a city in Georgia, United States. It is the main town, also known as the county seat, of Lanier County. Lakeland is also part of the larger Valdosta, Georgia area. In 2020, about 2,875 people lived there.

Lakeland used to have different names like Alapaha and Milltown. It got its current name in 1925. This name honors the nearby lakes: Grand Bay Lake, Lake Irma, and Banks Lake. For many years, Lakeland even had its own railroad!

The town hosts various festivals throughout the year. One popular event is Market Day & ‘LA DAY. This celebration brings together people from nearby areas to enjoy vendors and music. Lakeland is also unique because it has murals showing both enslaved people and plantation owners.

History of Lakeland

The area where Lakeland is now began as a community called Alapaha in the late 1830s. It grew around a mill built by Joshua Lee near what is now Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. In 1838, a post office opened and was named Alapaha, after the nearby Alapaha River.

In 1848, Joshua Lee sold his mill to William Lastinger. More mills were built in the 1850s, and the community kept growing. In 1857, Alapaha was renamed Milltown. During the American Civil War, William Lastinger sold his mill to Henry Banks.

Milltown officially became a town in 1901. In 1919, it was chosen as the county seat for the newly formed Lanier County. Finally, in 1928, the city was renamed Lakeland, which is the name it still has today.

Lakeland's Location and Size

Lakeland is located at 31°2′21″N 83°4′13″W / 31.03917°N 83.07028°W / 31.03917; -83.07028.

The United States Census Bureau says the city covers a total area of about 3.1 square miles (8.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 3.1 square miles (8.04 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.04 square miles (0.12 square kilometers), is water.

Population Changes in Lakeland

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,247
1920 860 −31.0%
1930 1,006 17.0%
1940 1,502 49.3%
1950 1,551 3.3%
1960 2,236 44.2%
1970 2,569 14.9%
1980 2,647 3.0%
1990 2,467 −6.8%
2000 2,730 10.7%
2010 3,366 23.3%
2020 2,875 −14.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

The table below shows the different racial groups living in Lakeland as of 2020.

Lakeland racial composition as of 2020
Race Number of People Percentage
White (not Hispanic) 1,486 51.69%
Black or African American (not Hispanic) 1,152 40.07%
Native American 3 0.1%
Asian 26 0.9%
Pacific Islander 6 0.21%
Other/Mixed Race 114 3.97%
Hispanic or Latino 88 3.06%

In 2020, there were 2,875 people living in Lakeland. These people lived in 997 households, and 631 of these were families.

Education in Lakeland

Lanier County Board of Education
Lanier County School District headquarters

The Lanier County School District manages schools from pre-school all the way to twelfth grade. It includes two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 94 full-time teachers and teaches over 1,345 students.

The schools in Lakeland are:

  • Lanier County Primary School
  • Lanier County Elementary School
  • Lanier County Middle School
  • Lanier County High School

The South Georgia Regional Library runs the W. L. Miller Memorial Library in Lakeland. This library started small in 1950, located in the county school superintendent's office. It moved a few times before getting its own building. The first standalone library opened in 1980. The current building, which was partly funded by a generous donation from the W. L. Miller family, opened on March 13, 1988. It was updated in 2012.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lakeland (Georgia) para niños

kids search engine
Lakeland, Georgia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.