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Lovejoy, Georgia
Flag of Lovejoy, Georgia
Flag
Official seal of Lovejoy, Georgia
Seal
Motto(s): 
A great place to grow and prosper
Location in Clayton County and the state of Georgia
Location in Clayton County and the state of Georgia
Country United States
State Georgia
County Clayton
Area
 • Total 2.94 sq mi (7.61 km2)
 • Land 2.91 sq mi (7.54 km2)
 • Water 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation
951 ft (290 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 10,122
 • Density 3,477.16/sq mi (1,342.38/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30250
Area code(s) 770
FIPS code 13-47616
GNIS feature ID 0317440

Lovejoy is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. During the American Civil War, it was the site of the Battle of Lovejoy's Station during the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. Lovejoy was incorporated as a town on September 16, 1861. As of 2020, its population was 10,122.

Lovejoy is proposed by the Georgia Department of Transportation and MARTA to be the endpoint of metro Atlanta's first commuter rail line.

History

Around 1850, the location just north of Fosterville, GA, was positioned along the new railway from Atlanta to Macon. The trainstop there was named for a prosperous local planter, James Lankford Lovejoy. On early maps, the location is called "Lovejoys." It became known as Lovejoy's Station by 1864, where it was the setting of a civil war battle during Sherman's campaign through Georgia. James Lovejoy left the region and died in Clinch County, Georgia in 1877.

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Lovejoy as a town in 1891.

Lovejoy was also the site of a cotton gin until 1932.

In 1979, Betty Talmadge, former first-lady of Georgia, purchased the remnants of the Hollywood set "Tara," the fictional plantation featured in Gone With the Wind, and brought them to Lovejoy. The main road through Lovejoy today is named "Tara Blvd." The remnants of Tara are available to be toured at the Lovejoy Plantation through www.savingtara.com.

Geography

Lovejoy is located in southern Clayton County at 33°26′39″N 84°18′54″W / 33.44417°N 84.31500°W / 33.44417; -84.31500 (33.444164, -84.315105). It is bordered by Henry County to the south and the unincorporated community of Bonanza to the north. U.S. Routes 19 and 41 pass through the western part of Lovejoy, leading north 24 miles (39 km) to downtown Atlanta and south 14 miles (23 km) to Griffin.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.8 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 0.91%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 198
1920 221 11.6%
1930 178 −19.5%
1980 205
1990 754 267.8%
2000 2,495 230.9%
2010 6,422 157.4%
2020 10,122 57.6%
2023 (est.) 12,080 88.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
Lovejoy racial composition as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 932 9.21%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 7,709 76.16%
Native American 21 0.21%
Asian 105 1.04%
Pacific Islander 5 0.05%
Other/Mixed 334 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1,016 10.04%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,122 people, 1,756 households, and 1,272 families residing in the city.

Education

Clayton County Public Schools operates public schools. The schools in this area are: Lovejoy Middle School and Lovejoy High School.

In 1989, professional wrestler Jody Hamilton opened a school and training facility in Lovejoy. It was later moved to Atlanta and operated as the WCW Power Plant until 2001.

Infrastructure

Transit systems

MARTA serves the city. A planned commuter rail service is expected to terminate in the city.

Notable persons

  • Kokomo Arnold, Blues Singer and Guitarist
  • Jocasta Odom, Reality TV show personality and Minister
  • Preston Williams, NFL Wide Receiver

See also

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

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