Lithonia, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lithonia, Georgia
City
Welcome sign on Main Street in Lithonia
Motto(s):  City of Granite
Location in DeKalb County and the state of Georgia
Lithonia, Georgia Location in Metro Atlanta
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	DeKalb
Area
• Total	0.93 sq mi (2.41 km2)
• Land	0.93 sq mi (2.40 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	925 ft (282 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,662
• Density	2,868.53/sq mi (1,107.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	30038, 30058
Area code(s)	770, [678]
FIPS code	13-46860
GNIS feature ID	0325978

Lithonia is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the larger Atlanta metropolitan area. In 2020, about 2,662 people lived there.

The name "Lithonia" means "city of stone." This name comes from the Greek word lithos, which means "stone." This makes sense because Lithonia is in an area known for its granite quarries. A quarry is a place where stone is dug out of the ground. Nearby, Stone Mountain is a huge rock made of granite. The area has a long history of mining rocks.

Lithonia is also a starting point for exploring the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. This special area is mostly located in Stonecrest, Georgia.

Where is Lithonia Located?

Lithonia is in the southeastern part of DeKalb County. It is about 18 miles (29 km) east of downtown Atlanta. Interstate 20, a major highway, runs just south of the city. You can get to Lithonia from Exits 74 and 75 on this highway.

The city covers a total area of about 0.93 square miles (2.4 km²), and all of it is land.

A Look at Lithonia's History

Railroad tracks in Lithonia, near the Collinsville area.

Lithonia started as a small farming community around 1805. The town grew a lot when the Atlanta Augusta Railroad arrived in 1845. This railroad helped the granite quarrying business in the area become very successful.

Lithonia is also where the Lithonia Lighting company began in 1946. This company became one of North America's biggest makers of light fixtures. They moved to nearby Conyers in the 1950s.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, a very large church, is located near Lithonia in Stonecrest, GA. It is known for holding many important funerals.

Lithonia's Historic District

The Seminary (1895)

The Lithonia Historic District is a special area that shows what the city looked like from 1845 to 1964. It has a main shopping area surrounded by homes. Many buildings in this district are made of brick and local granite.

The homes in the historic district show different styles from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. You can see houses like cottages and bungalows. These homes also often use local granite and other stones.

Important buildings in this district include the Masonic Lodge (built in 1916) and The Lithonia Women's Club (built in 1928). Churches like the Lithonia First United Methodist Church (1910) and Antioch Baptist Church (1911) are also part of this area. The old Bruce Street school for African-Americans (1938) and The Seminary (1895) are also notable landmarks. The district also includes old cemeteries and parks.

Main Street in Lithonia, with shops visible along the side of the road.

People Living in Lithonia

In 2020, the United States census counted 2,662 people living in Lithonia. There were 938 households and 524 families.

Shopping and Healthcare

Lithonia is close to a large shopping center called the Mall at Stonecrest. This mall is also known as Stonecrest Mall.

There are three main health facilities in Lithonia:

• Hillandale DeKalb Medical Center
• Kaiser Permanente has two clinics: Panola Road Clinic and Stonecrest Clinic.
• East DeKalb Health Center

Schools and Learning

DeKalb County Public Schools manages the public schools in the area. Lithonia Middle School is the only school located directly within the city limits.

Students living in Lithonia usually attend:

• Stoneview Elementary School (in Stonecrest)
• Lithonia Middle School
• Lithonia High School (in Stonecrest)

There are also several other elementary, middle, and high schools in the wider Lithonia area.

Universities and Colleges

For higher education, Lithonia has:

• Luther Rice University of Theological Studies
• Strayer University

Public Libraries

The DeKalb County Public Library system runs the Lithonia-Davidson Library. This library used to be privately owned but joined the county system in 1947.

Other libraries nearby include:

• Salem-Panola Branch
• Redan-Trotti Branch
• Stonecrest-Klondike Branch

Parks and Recreation

Lithonia and the surrounding area offer many parks and places for fun:

• Browns Mill/Recreation Center
• Bruce Street Park
• Davidson-Arabia Mountain/Preserve
• Fairington Park
• Lithonia Park
• Mystery Valley Golf Course
• Redan Park (with disc golf, tennis, baseball, football fields, and play areas)
• Southeast Athletic Complex
• Rock Chapel Park
• Salem Park

Mail and Transportation

Lithonia's main post office is on Stone Mountain Street. There are also many other places to drop off mail or get postal services around the city.

The MARTA provides bus service to and from Lithonia. The GRTA Xpress offers commuter bus service to downtown Atlanta from a special parking lot where people can leave their cars and ride the bus.

See also

In Spanish: Lithonia para niños