Moultrie, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moultrie
City
Moultrie, Georgia
Moultrie Municipal Building (City Hall)
Nickname(s):  The City of Southern Living
Location in Colquitt County and the state of Georgia
Moultrie Location in Georgia (U.S. state) Show map of Georgia (U.S. state) Moultrie Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Colquitt
Established	December 13, 1879 (1879-12-13)
Area
• Total	16.84 sq mi (43.61 km2)
• Land	16.67 sq mi (43.18 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.43 km2)
Elevation	318 ft (97 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,638
• Density	877.95/sq mi (338.99/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	31768, 31776, 31788
Area code(s)	229
FIPS code	13-53060
GNIS feature ID	0332427

Moultrie is a city in Colquitt County, Georgia, USA. It's the biggest city in the county and where the county government is located. It's also the third largest city in Southwest Georgia, after Thomasville and Albany. In 2020, about 14,638 people lived there.

The city was first called Ochlockoney. It officially became a city in 1859. Moultrie is known for its farms and is located in the "Southern Rivers" area of Georgia. The downtown area of Moultrie has a special historic district. This district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes the Colquitt Theatre. Moultrie is also famous for its unique shops and farming businesses. Former US Senator Saxby Chambliss is from Moultrie.

History of Moultrie

The city of Moultrie was named after General William Moultrie. He was a hero in the American Revolutionary War. A fort called Fort Moultrie was also named after him. This fort was important in defending Charleston, South Carolina, from the British.

How Colquitt County Began

Colquitt County became the 115th county in Georgia on February 25, 1856. It was named after Walter Terry Colquitt. He was a minister, a statesman, and a lawyer. He was also a military leader in the mid-1800s. In 1879, a plan was approved to make 50 acres (0.20 km2) in the county's center the county seat.

Early Industries and Growth

In the late 1890s, people started harvesting timber for "naval stores." This means they collected products like turpentine from pine trees. They built special stills to make turpentine and created tram roads. These roads helped bring the railroad into the area.

The first railroad line, the Boston & Albany (later the Georgia Northern Railway), brought growth and success. New residents arrived on almost every train. They came to work in naval stores or sawmills. By 1900, business people and bankers helped the county become a great place for farmers. Land was cleared, and companies divided the forests into farm plots. Experienced farmers from other areas were invited to develop the land. Today, farming is still a very important industry in the county.

Geography of Moultrie

Moultrie is located in the center of Colquitt County, in southwest Georgia. It is about 24 miles (39 km) west of Interstate 75. The city is about 200 miles (320 km) south of Atlanta and 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Tallahassee, Florida. Moultrie is located between other cities like Albany to the northwest and Valdosta to the southeast.

The United States Census Bureau says that Moultrie covers a total area of 16.84 square miles (43.6 km2). Most of this area, 16.67 square miles (43.2 km2), is land. Only a small part, 0.16 square miles (0.41 km2), is water. Moultrie's exact location is at 31°10′13″N 83°47′1″W.

Population Information

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,638 people living in Moultrie. These people made up 4,945 households and 2,988 families.

Education in Moultrie

Moultrie has public schools managed by the Colquitt County Board of Education. The Colquitt County School District serves students from pre-school through twelfth grade.

Public Schools

The district includes ten elementary schools, one middle school, one junior high school, and one high school. As of late 2020, the district had over 9,100 students and 1,351 staff members.

• Elementary schools
  • Cox Elementary School
  • Doerun Elementary School
  • Funston Elementary School
  • G.E.A.R. Gifted Center
  • Hamilton Elementary School
  • Norman Park Elementary School
  • Odom Elementary School
  • Okapilco Elementary School
  • Stringfellow Elementary School
  • Sunset Elementary School
  • Wright Elementary School
  • Pre-K Program

• Middle schools
  • Williams Middle School

• Junior high schools
  • C. A. Gray Junior High School

• High schools
  • Colquitt County High School

• Alternative schools
  • Colquitt County Achievement Center

Private Schools

Colquitt County also has a small private Christian school. It is called Colquitt Christian Academy and is located at Calvary Baptist Church.

Higher Education

For students seeking education after high school, Moultrie offers several options:

• Southern Regional Technical College – Main Campus
• Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College – Moultrie Campus
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – South Georgia Campus. This campus opened in 2019. It offers a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. In 2020, it added a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences.

Local Industries

Industry in the Moultrie area has grown a lot. Sanderson Farms opened a processing plant in 2006. This plant now employs over 1,000 people. This is more than 10% of the local workers. The company Maule Air is also in Moultrie. They make light, single-engine planes that can take off and land in short distances.

Media and Communication

Moultrie has three radio channels and three television stations.

• Radio
  • WMTM-1300 AM News/Talk
  • WMTM-93.9 FM Oldies Cruisin' 94
  • WWGW-LP 102.5 FM

• Television
  • WSWG CBS TV'
  • CW44 CW TV
  • WSWG2 My Network TV

Places to Visit

Moultrie has several interesting places to visit. Some of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Museum of Colquitt County History – Learn about the area's past.
• Reed Bingham State Park – A great place for camping, hiking, and fishing. You can also see bald eagles, alligators, and gopher tortoises.
• Ellen Payne Odom Genealogy Library – A place to research your family history.
• Spence Field – A large area used for events and outdoor activities.
• Colquitt County Arts Center – Features art collections, theater groups, concerts, and art classes. It also hosts the Fall Quilt Exhibition.
• Tom White Linear Park – A 7.5-mile (12.1 km) path for walking and cycling. It was built on an old railroad line.
• St. Mark's Anglican Church – A historic church.

Transportation in Moultrie

Moultrie is connected by US 319. This road links to major highways like Interstate 75 and Interstate 10. State Road 37 and State Road 111 also pass through Moultrie. The city has two public airports mainly used for small planes: Moultrie Municipal Airport and Spence Airport.

Notable People from Moultrie

• Saxby Chambliss – A former United States Senator.

See also

In Spanish: Moultrie para niños