Snellville, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Snellville, Georgia
City
City Hall
Flag Seal Town Center Logo
Motto(s):  "Snellville, Where Everybody's Proud to be Somebody"
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Gwinnett
Settled	1874
Incorporated	1923
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	10.60 sq mi (27.46 km2)
• Land	10.47 sq mi (27.12 km2)
• Water	0.13 sq mi (0.34 km2)
Elevation	1,037 ft (316 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,573
• Density	1,964.76/sq mi (758.61/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code(s)	30078–30039
Area code(s)	770
Cell Phone Area Code(s)	770, 678, 404
GNIS feature ID	2405480

Snellville is a city located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, in the United States. It's found just east of Atlanta. In 2020, about 20,573 people lived there. Snellville is a busy suburb that is part of the larger Atlanta area. It's about 33 miles east of downtown Atlanta, easily reached by major roads like US 78 and Interstate 285.

History of Snellville

Long ago, the area where Snellville now stands was home to the Creek Indians.

Early English Settlers

In 1874, two 17-year-old friends from London, Thomas Snell and James Sawyer, secretly planned to travel to the United States. James and his brother Charles left England first. Thomas's parents found out and stopped him, so he left later.

The Sawyer brothers arrived in New York City in April. After a few weeks, they headed to Athens, Georgia, and then to Madison County. There, they worked on a farm for $10 a month. Thomas Snell eventually followed his friends to New York and traveled south to meet them. The three friends then moved through Jefferson and Lawrenceville.

Soon after Thomas arrived, Charles left for Pennsylvania. He later came back south and settled in Alabama, where he started a business with turpentine. James also left to find his brother, leaving Thomas to work on a farm.

James Sawyer couldn't find his brother. He went back to New York and worked on a farm near the Hudson River. In 1878, when he turned 21, he returned to England to get his inheritance. In August 1879, he came back to Americus, Georgia, and then to Gwinnett County.

James found Thomas in a small settlement called New London, near Stone Mountain. In the place Thomas now called Snellville, the two friends built a small wooden building. They started a business together called Snell and Sawyer's Store. It was like the store they worked at in London. They even printed their own store money with Thomas's picture on it for regular customers. By the end of 1879, their business was doing very well. Customers came from nearby towns like Lawrenceville and Loganville. Travelers would buy supplies at "Snell and Sawyer's" and often camped nearby. The town began to be known as Snellville because of their store.

Later, the business partnership ended. James Sawyer kept the old store and built granite stone around it. Thomas Snell built a new store, also made of granite. In 1883, James Sawyer built a home and married Emma Webb, from a well-known Snellville family. James opened Snellville's first post office in 1885. He worked as the postmaster from the back of his store.

Thomas Snell passed away at age 39 in 1896 after an appendicitis operation. He was first buried in Brownlee Mountain, now called Nob Hill. Later, he was reburied in nearby Lithonia.

James Sawyer's eyesight began to fail, forcing him to retire partly. Eventually, he lost his sight completely. After that, different people owned and ran the store. It was torn down in 1960 and replaced by a service station. James Sawyer died in 1948 at age 91. He is buried in the Baptist Cemetery, now called Snellville Historical Cemetery.

Snellville Becomes a City

The state of Georgia officially recognized Snellville as a city in 1923. This meant it could have its own local government.

Snellville Today

A bumper sticker sold at Snellville City Hall.

As of 2020, Snellville's population was 20,573 people. The city is run by a mayor and five council members. More than 100 people work for the city across five departments. These departments include Administration, Parks and Recreation, Planning and Development, Public Safety, and Public Works. The city has grown to cover about 10.6 square miles (27.4 square kilometers). There are also 14 churches within the city limits.

City Land Swap Project

The Oakland Village Shopping Center before it was torn down.

The new Snellville City Hall.

The new Senior Citizen Center.

In 2000, Mayor Brett Harrell started talks for a "land swap." This plan would turn an old supermarket into a new city complex. The old city hall would become part of a church campus. The old Kroger store was in the Oakland Village Shopping Center. This center, like others, was becoming empty and looked bad. Mayor Harrell had promised to fix these empty spaces.

Not everyone liked the plan. Some businesses in the shopping center had to move. In November, the city council voted to look into the land swap. Some people worried about the timing. The shopping center owner wanted to sell by the end of 2000, but the city council decided to wait six months. Some citizens asked for a public vote on the deal.

On March 5, 2001, the city held its first public meeting about the land swap. Over 100 citizens supported the idea, but more than a dozen were against it. Some pointed out that the city had just spent $79,000 on the city hall roof. Others felt the church would benefit more than the city.

On March 26, 2001, the city council voted on the land swap. They shared some details: the shopping center was worth $2.7 million, and the old city hall was worth $2.3 million. Councilman Jerry Oberholtzer thought renovating the shopping center for city use would cost about $2.5 million. He said upgrading the old city hall would cost the same. More people spoke against the swap than for it. Some senior citizens even presented a petition against moving their center. Despite this, the City Council voted 3-1 in favor of the swap. Councilman Troy Carter was the only one who voted no.

As the city prepared for the swap, a problem came up in June 2001. There was a chance of perchloroethylene soil contamination from an old dry cleaner at the shopping center site. The state's Environmental Protection Division said a cleanup might not be needed if no one lived nearby or used the ground water. However, the city found a private citizen, Harold "Cotton" Williams, using a well within a mile. He refused $25,000 from the Methodist Church to close his well. The city then looked into making a local ordinance to ban new wells and close old ones. On June 25, the city council voted to pass the ordinance. It still allowed wells for irrigation. The city also decided to include changes to Oak Road and Henry Clower Boulevard in the project.

In July 2001, another problem arose. A lawyer for the Nash family of Snellville sued. They claimed the city couldn't trade one piece of land because the city didn't own it. The Nash family said they owned about 1 acre (4,000 square meters) and the unused building on it. In 1935, Horace J. Nash had given the building to a group for use as a vocational center. It was used to train unemployed workers during and after the Great Depression. Later, the city used it as a jail, a senior center, and an agricultural building. Most recently, it housed the Recorder's Court. The Nash family lawyer said they had let Snellville use the building for decades without complaint. This issue was solved when the city showed documents proving its ownership of the building.

In July 2003, the final part of the $6.7 million building plan was approved. The Snellville City Council approved money for a new complex. It would combine city offices, police services, and a public gathering area. The council voted 4-2 to approve the funding. The final plan for the land swap included an 8-acre (32,000 square meters) project. It would have a new city hall, police department, senior center, and public meeting space.

Work on the new city hall began in March 2004. The Oakland Village Shopping Center was torn down. Hogan Construction Group was given the $7.4 million contract to build the new city hall and Senior Center. The project was delayed due to bad weather. Crews also had to blast granite under the building foundation, which added $200,000 to the cost.

On March 12, 2006, the city officially opened the new city hall. It is located at the corner of Oak Road and Main Street East (US 78). Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer said it took "five years, four elections, three architectural firms, and two lawsuits" to get to that day. The city hopes to add a parking garage and a new public safety building in the future.

The city hall complex with the remaining part of the old Oakland Village Shopping Center in front.

On August 13, 2007, the city council approved a contract to tear down the last part of the old Oakland Village Shopping Center. This area has now been turned into an open green space.

Snellville's Towne Center

In 2011, Snellville started planning a new town center. They hired experts to help design it. A special workshop was held to get ideas from the community. The plan for the new town center includes a new town green and shopping area. It will also have different types of housing nearby. The design also considers a new road system planned by the Georgia Department of Transportation. A key part of the new town design is a system of bridges and tunnels. These will make the city easier and safer to walk around.

Snellville's Location and Climate

Geography of Snellville

Snellville is located in the southern part of Gwinnett County. U.S. Route 78 runs right through the middle of the city. This road goes west about 25 miles to downtown Atlanta and east about 19 miles to Monroe. Georgia State Route 124 crosses US 78 in Snellville's center. It goes north about 7 miles to Lawrenceville and south about 13 miles to Lithonia. Some areas outside the city, in eastern DeKalb County and western Rockdale County, have a Snellville mailing address but are not part of the city itself.

The United States Census Bureau says Snellville covers a total area of about 10.6 square miles (27.4 square kilometers). Most of this, about 10.47 square miles (27.1 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.13 square miles (0.3 square kilometers), is water.

Snellville's Weather

Snellville, like the rest of the Atlanta area, has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.

In winter, cold weather systems from Canada can bring temperatures below 25 °Fahrenheit (−3.9 °Celsius) a few times a year. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Snellville was −9 °F (−22 °C) on February 13, 1899. On average, there are 48 days with frost each year. Snow usually falls most years, with about 2 inches (5 centimeters) annually. The most snow in one day was 10 inches (25 centimeters) on January 23, 1940. Ice storms are a bigger problem than snow in winter. Sometimes, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico can raise winter temperatures to 75 °F (24 °C).

Summers are humid, but actual temperatures are not as high as they might feel. Afternoon highs usually reach about 90 °F (32 °C) in late July. Temperatures rarely hit 100 °F (38 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded in Snellville was 105 °F (40.6 °C) on July 13 and 17, 1980.

Snellville gets a lot of rain throughout the year, like other parts of the Southeastern U.S. The average yearly rainfall is about 50.5 inches (127 centimeters).

Parks and Recreation

Snellville has several parks for outdoor activities.

• Thomas W. Briscoe Park is a large park with 87 developed acres. It offers many activities for kids and seniors. These include summer camps, swimming lessons, soccer, and senior trips.
• Lenora Park and Disc Golf Course covers 112 acres (0.45 square kilometers). It's a great place for disc golf and other outdoor fun.
• South Gwinnett Athletic Association has six fields for baseball and softball. It also has a football field and a large indoor rink. This rink is used for roller hockey, volleyball, indoor soccer, and lacrosse.

Snellville's People

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,573 people living in Snellville. These people made up 6,093 households, with 4,853 of them being families.

Culture and Events

Snellville Days Festival

The Snellville Days Festival is a big two-day event held every year. It attracts many visitors from all over the Southeast. This yearly celebration is known as one of the top 20 tourism events in May by the Southeastern Tourism Society. Even with its popularity, it still feels like a friendly, small-town gathering.

Education in Snellville

Schools in the Area

Public Schools

The following schools serve the Snellville area. They are part of the Gwinnett County Public Schools system:

• Brookwood High School
  • Alton C. Crews Middle School
    • Brookwood Elementary School
    • Craig Elementary School
  • Five Forks Middle School
    • Gwinn Oaks Elementary School
    • R. D. Head Elementary School
• Grayson High School
  • J. P. McConnell Middle School
    • Pharr Elementary School
    • W. J. Cooper Elementary School
  • Bay Creek Middle School
    • Grayson Elementary
    • Trip Elementary
• Shiloh High School
  • Shiloh Middle School
    • Anderson-Livsey Elementary School
    • Annistown Elementary School
    • Centerville Elementary School
    • Shiloh Elementary School
    • Henry Partee Elementary School
• South Gwinnett High School
  • Grace Snell Middle School
    • J.C. Magill Elementary School
    • Rosebud Elementary School
  • Snellville Middle School
    • R. L. Norton Elementary School
    • W. C. Britt Elementary School

Private Schools

• Evergreen Montessori School
• Gwinnett Christian Academy, for grades K5–12
• Harbour Oaks Montessori School, for grades K2–12

Public Libraries

The Gwinnett County Public Library system has a branch in Snellville. It is called the Elizabeth H. Williams Branch.

City Services and Transport

Transportation in Snellville

Major Roads

• U.S. Route 78
• State Route 84
• State Route 124
• Ronald Reagan Parkway

• 

  U.S. 78 looking west toward the city center.

• 

  U.S. 78 looking east from the city center toward Loganville.

• 

  State Route 124 looking south toward the city center from Dogwood Road.

• 

  State Route 124 looking north toward Lawrenceville from Dogwood Road.

Walking and Biking Paths

• Ivy Creek-Snellville Trail (This trail is still being planned.)

Public Transportation Options

An Xpress Bus park & ride sign at the First Baptist Church of Snellville.

Route 418 of the Xpress bus service helps people travel to and from downtown Atlanta. This service is a partnership between Gwinnett County Transit and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). Buses run from Snellville to downtown Atlanta in the morning and back in the afternoon. This service is available Monday through Friday. The morning bus ends at the Civic Center MARTA Station. The afternoon bus ends at the First Baptist Church of Snellville. There is also a stop at the Hewatt Road Park&Ride.

Gwinnett County Transit is also trying out a new "micro-transit" service in the Snellville area. This offers on-demand rides within a specific zone.

Medical Care

Snellville has one main hospital, Eastside Medical Center. It used to be called Emory Eastside Medical Center. This hospital serves the southern part of Gwinnett County.

Local Media

Newspapers

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution (a major newspaper for the region)
• Gwinnett Daily Post

Radio Stations

Television Channels

Famous People from Snellville

Many notable people have connections to Snellville:

• Matt Beaty, a baseball player
• Clay Cook, a singer and songwriter, also a member of the Zac Brown Band
• Rennie Curran, a football player for the Tennessee Titans
• Diana DeGarmo, who was the runner-up on American Idol in 2004
• David Greene, a football player for the New England Patriots
• Kyle Lewis, a baseball player
• Josh Okogie, a professional basketball player
• Melissa Ordway, an actress known for playing Abby Newman on The Young and the Restless
• David Pollack, a football player for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Amy Robach, a news anchor for Good Morning America
• Cameron Sample, a professional football player for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Nakia Sanford, a former forward/center in the WNBA
• Eric Shanteau, a member of the USA swim team in the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Sound Tribe Sector 9, a band
• Lou Williams, a former basketball player
• Garrett Whitlock, an American professional baseball player
• Tyler Wolff, a professional soccer player

See also

In Spanish: Snellville para niños