Richmond Hill, Georgia Facts for Kids

Richmond Hill is a city located in Bryan County, Georgia, in the United States. It's part of the larger Savannah metropolitan area. In 2020, the city's population was 16,633 people. This was a big jump from 2010, showing how much the city has grown!

Discovering Richmond Hill's Past
Exploring Richmond Hill's Location
- Roads and Travel
- City Size and Water Areas
Understanding Richmond Hill's Population
Richmond Hill's Economy
- Top Employers in Richmond Hill
Education in Richmond Hill
Healthcare Services
Community Life in Richmond Hill
Famous People from Richmond Hill
Images for kids
See also

Discovering Richmond Hill's Past

Richmond Hill has a special connection to the famous industrialist Henry Ford. He used to spend his winters here. The town was once called Ways Station. In the 1930s, Ford built a large complex along the Ogeechee River called Ford Farms. He chose this area for his winter home after just one visit.

Henry Ford's Impact on the Community

Henry Ford's home was built where the Richmond Plantation once stood. This plantation was burned during General William T. Sherman's "Sherman's March to the Sea" in the Civil War. Ford eventually owned a huge amount of land, about 85,000 acres. Most of this land is now owned by the State of Georgia or a timber company called ITT Rayonier.

Ford also helped build many public buildings in the town. He built a kindergarten, which is now the museum for the Richmond Hill Historical Society. He also built a chapel, which is now St. Anne's Catholic Church. Both of these buildings are on Georgia S.R. 144, also known as Ford Avenue. The Ford Plantation is now a fancy resort with vacation homes, a clubhouse, tennis courts, and a golf course.

When people suggested renaming the town "Ford," Henry Ford said no. Instead, Ways Station was renamed "Richmond Hill." This new name came from the location of Ford's home on the Ogeechee River.

When Richmond Hill Became a City

Richmond Hill officially became a city in 1962. The city is run by a mayor and a four-member city council. The current mayor is Russ Carpenter.

How Richmond Hill Has Grown

Richmond Hill's growth has followed trends seen across the United States. The population stayed pretty steady after the American Civil War. Then, Henry Ford's arrival in the 1930s brought changes. In the early 1970s, new neighborhoods started to appear. This growth has continued steadily until today.

You can find all kinds of neighborhoods in Richmond Hill. They range from starter homes to fancy, gated communities with golf courses. Many locals believe the population growth is linked to nearby Fort Stewart, a military base.

Exploring Richmond Hill's Location

Richmond Hill is located on the eastern side of Bryan County. The Ogeechee River forms the eastern border of the city. On the other side of the river is a part of the city of Savannah.

Roads and Travel

U.S. Route 17 (also called Ocean Highway) goes through the northern part of the city. Interstate 95 runs along the western edge of Richmond Hill. You can get onto I-95 from Exit 87 (US 17) and Exit 90 (Georgia State Route 144/Ford Avenue). Downtown Savannah is about 21 miles north. Brunswick, Georgia, is about 58 miles south.

City Size and Water Areas

According to the United States Census Bureau, Richmond Hill covers a total area of about 37.9 square kilometers (14.6 square miles). Most of this area, about 37.4 square kilometers (14.4 square miles), is land. The rest, about 0.5 square kilometers (0.2 square miles), is water.

Understanding Richmond Hill's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1970	826	—
1980	1,177	42.5%
1990	2,934	149.3%
2000	6,959	137.2%
2010	9,281	33.4%
2020	16,633	79.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Richmond Hill has seen a lot of population growth over the years. In 1970, there were only 826 people. By 2020, the population had grown to 16,633!

Richmond Hill racial composition as of 2020
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	10,072	60.55%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2,936	17.65%
Native American	43	0.26%
Asian	665	4.0%
Pacific Islander	14	0.08%
Other/Mixed	1,095	6.58%
Hispanic or Latino	1,808	10.87%

In 2020, there were 16,633 people living in Richmond Hill. These people lived in 4,334 households, with 3,431 of those being families.

Richmond Hill's Economy

Small businesses are a big part of Richmond Hill's economy. Businesses with fewer than 20 employees make up 93% of all employers in the city.

Top Employers in Richmond Hill

#	Employer
1	Hobart Corporation
2	City of Richmond Hill
3	South State Bank
4	Allied Van Lines
5	Kroger
6	South Coast Medical
7	Publix

Education in Richmond Hill

The Bryan County School District serves the students of Richmond Hill. The town has seven public schools for students from age five up to 21. These schools include:

Richmond Hill Primary School (RHPS)
Richmond Hill Elementary School (RHES)
George Washington Carver Upper Elementary School (GWCES)
McAllister Elementary School (MES)
France Meeks Elementary School (FMES)
Richmond Hill Middle School (RHMS)
Richmond Hill High School (RHHS)

Richmond Hill High School often has the highest test scores in Bryan County. The city is currently making its schools bigger because many people have moved to the city in the last thirty years. Two new elementary and middle schools have been built recently. Richmond Hill is expected to keep growing a lot in the coming years.

Healthcare Services

In 2011, Winn Army Community Hospital opened in the area. This hospital serves military retirees and their families. For everyone else, the closest emergency room is at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah, about 15 miles away.

Community Life in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill is a lively community with many events and groups.

Fun Community Events

The city hosts several community events at J.F. Gregory Park throughout the year. These events bring people together for fun and to support different causes:

Annual Easter Extravaganza
Annual Memorial Day Observance
Annual First Day of Summer Prayer Breakfast
National Night Out
Old Time Family Fourth of July Festival & Fireworks
Annual Pumpkin Patch
Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival (a very popular event with about 35,000 visitors!)
Annual Veterans Day Observance
Annual Chili Cook-off

Religion in the Community

The Martha Mary Chapel

While some people in Richmond Hill are not religious, Christianity is the largest religion. Christian groups include Protestant and Catholic churches. Richmond Hill has over 20 churches of different types.

Many church groups work together on programs that help the whole community. For example, the "Food for the Soul" soup kitchen provides hot meals to families in need. Volunteers from ten different churches take turns helping out each week. The Way Station is another program run by multiple churches. For over twenty years, it has provided food, clothing, and other items to help families in the community.

Community Service Groups

Many groups in Richmond Hill work to make the community a better place:

Richmond Hill Rotary Club
Richmond Hill Exchange Club
Richmond Hill Lions Club
Richmond Hill Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7331
Richmond Hill Garden Club - Senior's Center
Richmond Hill Sons of Confederate Veterans
Bryan Lodge #303 F&AM

Famous People from Richmond Hill

Nick Fitzgerald, a college football quarterback.

Images for kids

Richmond Hill Plantation, Ford Mansion

Richmond Hill, Georgia facts for kids

Contents