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Powder Springs, Georgia
Powder Springs City Hall
Powder Springs City Hall
Motto(s): 
"Small enough to know you...Large enough to serve you"
Location in Cobb County and the state of Georgia
Location in Cobb County and the state of Georgia
Country United States
State Georgia
County Cobb
Area
 • Total 7.44 sq mi (19.26 km2)
 • Land 7.43 sq mi (19.23 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation
945 ft (288 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 16,887
 • Density 2,274.04/sq mi (878.03/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30127
Area code(s) 770/678/470
FIPS code 13-62524
GNIS feature ID 0356480

Powder Springs is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13,940 at the 2010 census, with an estimated population for 2019 of 15,758. The 12,000-capacity Walter H. Cantrell Stadium is located in Powder Springs. It is used mostly for football and soccer matches.

History

The town of Powder Springs was incorporated as Springville in 1838 in the lands of two Cherokee leaders. Gold had been discovered in Georgia 10 years earlier, and the first European-American settlers came to find gold. The settlers found little gold in the mines at Lost Mountain and off Brownsville Road. It was at about this time that the Cherokee people were forced off their land and removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River on the Trail of Tears.

Springville was renamed Powder Springs in 1859. The name was derived from the seven springs in the city limits. The water in these springs contains some 26 minerals that turn the surrounding sand black like gunpowder – hence the earlier name of Gunpowder Springs.

Civil War history includes a skirmish at Lattermore's Mills on June 20, 1864, which was a part of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and General Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. Many slaves escaped the plantations in this area to join Sherman's forces and gain freedom.

In 2015, the city elected its first black mayor, Al Thurman. He was the first African-American to be elected as a mayor in Cobb County, but was one of several elected in small towns in Georgia in 2015.

Geography

Powder Springs is located in southwestern Cobb County at 33°51′57″N 84°40′49″W / 33.86583°N 84.68028°W / 33.86583; -84.68028 (33.865933, -84.680349). U.S. Route 278 (C. H. James Parkway) passes through the city west of its center, leading 5 miles (8 km) southeast to Austell and 11 miles (18 km) northwest to Dallas. Downtown Atlanta is 22 miles (35 km) to the east via US 278 and Interstate 20.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Powder Springs has a total area of 7.2 square miles (18.6 km2), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2), or 0.17%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 262
1900 280 6.9%
1910 315 12.5%
1920 336 6.7%
1930 342 1.8%
1940 431 26.0%
1950 619 43.6%
1960 746 20.5%
1970 2,559 243.0%
1980 3,381 32.1%
1990 6,893 103.9%
2000 12,481 81.1%
2010 13,940 11.7%
2020 16,887 21.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Powder Springs racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 4,287 25.39%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 9,180 54.36%
Native American 38 0.23%
Asian 268 1.59%
Pacific Islander 6 0.04%
Other/Mixed 773 4.58%
Hispanic or Latino 2,335 13.83%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,887 people, 5,125 households, and 3,899 families residing in the city.

Parks and recreation

  • Powder Springs Park
  • Powder Springs Trail System
  • Silver Comet Trail

Education

Powder Springs, Georgia city hall
Powder Springs city hall

Powder Springs Public Schools are part of the Cobb County School District, including McEachern High School, located on the site of the former Native American burial ground and the former Seventh District Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) School.

The late Georgia Senator Richard B. Russell attended the Seventh District A&M School. The administrative building of McEachern High School is named for Senator Russell.

Other schools in Powder Springs include Hillgrove High School, Tapp Middle School, Dobbins Middle School, Powder Springs Elementary School, Lovinggood Middle School, Varner Elementary, Compton Elementary, Kemp Elementary, Still Elementary, and Vaughan Elementary.

Media

The Bright Side is a newspaper serving Powder Springs and several other small cities.

Notable people

  • Rory Anderson (born 1992), former NFL tight end, selected in seventh round of 2015 NFL Draft; played college football at South Carolina
  • Gregg Bishop, film director, screenwriter and producer; born in Powder Springs
  • Pat Cannon (1904–1966), United States Representative from Florida; born in Powder Springs
  • Kenyan Drake (born 1994), running back in the National Football League, selected in third round of 2016 NFL Draft; played college football at Alabama, where he was a three-time SEC champion (2012, 2014, 2015), a BCS national champion (2012), and CFP national champion (2015).
  • Chuma Edoga (born 1997), offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons
  • Evan Engram (born 1994), tight end for Jacksonville Jaguars, selected in first round of 2017 NFL Draft; played college football at Ole Miss
  • Mark Lee (born 1973), guitarist for Christian rock band Third Day, born in Powder Springs
  • Jason Lively (born 1967), actor, born in Powder Springs
  • Robyn Lively (born 1972), actress; born in Powder Springs
  • Shaquell Moore (born 1996), professional soccer player for Nashville SC, and the United States Men's National Team.
  • Myles Rowe (born 2000), professional racing driver competing in the USF Pro 2000 Championship, the 2023 USF Pro 2000 Champion
  • Taylor Trammell (born 1997), outfielder for Seattle Mariners
  • Tiffany Whitton (born 1987), woman who lived in Powder Springs at the time of her 2013 disappearance

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Powder Springs para niños

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