Madison, Georgia Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Madison, Georgia

City

City of Madison

Morgan County Courthouse in Madison

Flag

Location in Morgan County and the state of Georgia

Madison, Georgia

Location in the United States

December 12, 1809; 215 years ago

Named for

James Madison

Government

• Type

Mayor–Council

Area

• Total

8.86 sq mi (22.94 km²)

• Land

8.78 sq mi (22.75 km²)

• Water

0.07 sq mi (0.19 km²)

Elevation

679 ft (207 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

4,447

• Density

506.26/sq mi (195.48/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP code

30650

Area code(s)

706

FIPS code

13-49196

GNIS feature ID

0332303

Major airport

ATL

Madison is a city in Morgan County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the larger Atlanta-Athens-Clarke-Sandy Springs area. In 2020, about 4,447 people lived there.

Madison is the main city and county seat of Morgan County. It is home to the Morgan County Courthouse. The city is famous for its Historic District. This area has many beautiful old homes built before the American Civil War.

Budget Travel magazine once called Madison one of the world's 16 most picturesque villages. It is also a stop on Georgia's Antebellum Trail. This trail highlights historic places from before the Civil War.

History of Madison
Geography and Location
Population and People
Culture and Parks
Education in Madison
Notable People from Madison
Images for kids
See also

History of Madison

Madison was officially started as a city on December 12, 1809. It was named after James Madison, who was the 4th President of the United States. Early descriptions called Madison a very cultured and important town. It was on the main stagecoach route from Charleston to New Orleans.

Historic District of Madison, 2010.

During the American Civil War, General William Tecumseh Sherman led his "March to the Sea" through Georgia. Many towns were burned during this march. However, Madison was spared. Some people believe it was because the town was too beautiful to burn. The real reason is likely that a pro-Union politician, Joshua Hill, lived in Madison. He was friends with General Sherman's brother.

By the late 1800s, Madison was a busy place. It had factories for oil, soap, and fertilizer. There were also carriage factories, a furniture factory, and an ice factory. Today, Madison's large historic district still draws visitors from all over the world. They come to see the amazing antebellum architecture of its homes.

Geography and Location

Madison is located in Georgia at coordinates 33.588038° N, 83.472368° W. The city covers an area of about 8.9 square miles (22.9 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. Madison sits on a high ridge. This ridge goes across Morgan County from the northeast to the southwest. The city is about 679 feet (207 meters) above sea level.

Population and People

The population of Madison has grown over the years. In 2010, there were 3,979 people. By 2020, the population had increased to 4,447 people.

Here is a look at the different groups of people living in Madison in 2020:

Madison racial composition as of 2020
Race	Number of People	Percentage
White	2,215	49.81%
Black or African American	1,919	43.15%
Native American	9	0.2%
Asian	33	0.74%
Other/Mixed	133	2.99%
Hispanic or Latino	138	3.1%

In 2020, there were 1,625 households in the city. About 1,121 of these were families.

Culture and Parks

Madison has many places for art and history lovers. The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center (MMCC) is a great example. It offers performing arts, visual arts, and historical exhibits. The center is in a beautiful old building from 1895. It is located right in Madison's historic district.

The Morgan County African American Museum is also in Madison. It shares the history and culture of African Americans in the area.

Heritage Hall is another important historic building. The Morgan County Historical Society takes care of it. The oldest part of Heritage Hall was built in 1811. It became a private home until 1977.

The Madison Artists' Guild helps local artists. It has over 150 members. The guild offers programs and meetings to support art in the community.

Madison also has five city parks. Wellington, Gilbert, Lambert, and Hill Park are great for playing sports and active fun. Town Park is a popular spot for events and public gatherings.

Education in Madison

The Morgan County School District serves students from pre-school through twelfth grade. It is a special type of school system called a charter school system. The district has a primary school, an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.

In 2023, the district had about 230 full-time teachers. Over 3,200 students attended schools in the district. The high school graduation rate is 92%. This is higher than the average graduation rate for Georgia, which is 85%.

The Morgan County School District ranks high compared to other districts in Georgia:

It is in the top 20% for overall ranking.
It is in the top 10% for math skills.
It is in the top 20% for reading and language arts skills.

Here are some details about individual schools:

Morgan County Elementary School: Students here score well in math and reading. Their average math score is 50%, compared to Georgia's average of 37%. Their reading score is 46%, compared to the state average of 40%.
Morgan County Middle School: Middle school students also show strong skills. Their average math score is 44%, higher than Georgia's average of 33%. Their reading score is 49%, compared to the state average of 41%.
Morgan County High School: About 39% of high school students are good at math. This is much higher than Georgia's average of 24%. Their reading skills match the state average of 32%.

Notable People from Madison

Many interesting people have connections to Madison, Georgia:

Benny Andrews (artist, teacher, author, activist) grew up in Morgan County.
George Andrews (artist) was known as the "Dot Man." He was Benny Andrews' father.
Raymond Andrews (novelist) also grew up in rural Morgan County.
Tookie Brown (born 1995) is a professional basketball player.
George Gordon Crawford (1869–1936) was an important industrialist born in Madison.
B. J. Elder (born 1982) is a former professional basketball player.
Monday Floyd was a carpenter and politician. He faced challenges but became a Georgia Assemblyman.
Oliver "Ollie" Hardy (1892–1957) was a famous comic actor, one half of Laurel and Hardy. He lived in Madison as a child. The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center has the room where he attended first grade.
Albert T. Harris was a World War II naval hero born in Madison.
Allie Carroll Hart (1913–2003) directed the Georgia Department of Archives and History.
Bill Hartman (1915–2006) was a football player for the Washington Redskins. He started playing football in Madison.
Joshua Hill (1812–1891) was a U.S. senator who lived in Madison. He was a friend of General Sherman, which helped save Madison during the Civil War.
Eugenius Aristides Nisbet was one of the first judges on the Supreme Court of Georgia. He started his law career in Madison.
Brooks Pennington Jr. was a businessman and politician. He ran his father's seed store in Madison.
Seaborn Reese (1846–1907) was a politician and lawyer. He served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia.
Mark Schlabach is a sports journalist and best-selling author. He lives in Madison.
William Tappan Thompson was a humorist and writer. He lived in Madison in the 1840s.
Jesse Triplett is the lead guitarist for the band Collective Soul. He was born in Madison.
Philip Lee Williams (born 1950) is a novelist, poet, and essayist. He grew up in Madison.