Stockbridge, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stockbridge, Georgia
City
Stockbridge City Hall
Flag Seal
Stockbridge, Georgia Location in Metro Atlanta
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Henry
Named for	Levi Stockbridge
Area
• Total	13.82 sq mi (35.79 km2)
• Land	13.70 sq mi (35.48 km2)
• Water	0.12 sq mi (0.31 km2)
Elevation	801 ft (244 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	28,973
• Density	2,114.97/sq mi (816.59/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	30281
Area code(s)	770/678/470
FIPS code	13-73704
GNIS feature ID	0342357

Stockbridge is a city located in Henry County, Georgia, in the United States. In 2020, about 28,973 people lived there. Stockbridge is part of the larger Atlanta metropolitan area, which is a big group of cities and towns around Atlanta.

History of Stockbridge

The area where Stockbridge is now was first settled in 1829. This was when the Concord Methodist Church was started near what is now Old Stagecoach Road. The town got its first post office on April 5, 1847. It was named after a traveling professor, Levi Stockbridge. He was well-known and respected by the people living there. Some people think the city was named after Thomas Stocks. He was a State Surveyor and president of the Georgia State Senate in the 1820s.

In 1881, a railroad called the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad was planned to go through Stockbridge. It would connect Macon and Atlanta. The people who owned land in Old Stockbridge asked for a very high price. So, two important Atlanta citizens, John W. Grant and George W. Adair, bought land about a mile south. They offered to sell lots at a fair price. The railroad built its station there, and many lots were sold. This station was destroyed in the early 1980s.

Stockbridge officially became a town in 1895. It became a city on August 6, 1920. This means it turned 100 years old on August 6, 2020!

Two historic houses in Stockbridge, the Aaron and Margaret Parker Jr. House and the Walden-Turner House, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are important places that tell us about the past.

Who Was Stockbridge Named After?

There's a bit of a mystery about who Stockbridge was truly named after. On May 6, 1992, the Mayor of Stockbridge received a letter from John Stockbridge. He was from South Carolina and was planning the first reunion of the Stockbridge family. In his letter, he said that he grew up in Georgia. He was told that the city was named after his great-great-grandfather, Levi Stockbridge. This Levi Stockbridge traveled often from the North to his property in Florida. He would stop in this area on his trips.

Levi Stockbridge was born on March 13, 1820. This means he would have been 27 years old when Stockbridge got its post office in 1847. This fits the time period. Before this letter in 1992, people only knew the city was named after a "Professor Stockbridge."

It's still not 100% sure that Levi Stockbridge was the exact person. But after John Stockbridge's letters and talks, many believe he is the right Professor Stockbridge. For 146 years, the exact person was unknown!

Modern Stockbridge Developments

New City Hall Building

The fountain across from City Hall (01 May 2010)

After February 2007, the city planned to build a new city hall. The plans included the new city hall, a park, and green spaces. These new buildings were meant to make the older downtown area stronger and more lively. The Stockbridge City Manager said the new city hall was really needed. This was because some city employees were working in very small spaces like closets.

Eagle's Landing Secession Attempt

In 2018, some people living in Stockbridge wanted to create their own separate community. They wanted to call it Eagle's Landing. They held a vote during the general election, but the idea was not approved.

Geography and Location

Stockbridge is in the northwestern part of Henry County. Its northwestern edge is along the Clayton County line. Some areas in Rockdale County also use a Stockbridge mailing address. However, these areas are not actually part of the City of Stockbridge.

U.S. Route 23 is the main road that goes through the center of Stockbridge. It goes northwest about 20 miles (32 km) to downtown Atlanta. It goes southeast about 9 miles (14 km) to McDonough, which is the county seat of Henry County.

Interstate 75 also goes through the southwest side of Stockbridge. You can get on or off I-75 at Exits 222, 224, and 228. I-75 leads northwest to Atlanta and southeast about 64 miles (103 km) to Macon. Another highway, Interstate 675, splits off from I-75 in northwestern Stockbridge. You can access the city from its Exit 1.

The United States Census Bureau says that Stockbridge covers a total area of about 13.82 square miles (35.79 km²). Most of this area, about 13.70 square miles (35.48 km²), is land. The rest, about 0.12 square miles (0.31 km²), is water.

Population Information

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 28,973 people living in Stockbridge. There were 10,244 households and 7,549 families.

Parks and Fun Activities

Stockbridge has several parks and fun events for everyone to enjoy:

• Clark Community Park
• Gardner Park
• Memorial Park
• Monument Park at Eagle's Landing
• Reeves Creek Trail
• Eagles Landing Country Club
• Bridgefest: This is a festival held every year on the last weekend of September.
• Holiday Gala: An annual holiday event.
• Sounds of Summer concert series: Concerts held on the City Hall lawn every year.
• Screen on the Green: An annual outdoor movie event hosted by Stockbridge Main Street.

Education in Stockbridge

Stockbridge is served by the Henry County School District. Here are some of the schools in the Stockbridge area:

Public Schools

• Cotton Indian Elementary School
• Dutchtown Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
• Eagles Landing Middle, and High Schools
• Flippen Elementary School
• Pate's Creek Elementary School
• Pleasant Grove Elementary School
• Red Oak Elementary School
• Smith Barnes Elementary School
• Stockbridge Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
• Woodland Elementary, Middle, and High Schools

Private Schools

• Community Christian School
• Mount Vernon Christian Academy

Transportation and Roads

Public Transit

• Xpress GA provides local bus service in the area.
• Berry Hill Airport is a private airport located east of town. It does not have regular scheduled flights.

Major Highways

Stockbridge is connected by several important highways:

• Interstate 75
• Interstate 675
• U.S. Highway 23
• Georgia State Route 42
• Georgia State Route 138
• Georgia State Route 401
• Georgia State Route 413

Famous People from Stockbridge

Many notable people have connections to Stockbridge:

• Joey Clanton: A race car driver.
• Kyle Davies: A professional baseball player.
• Michael Harris II: A professional baseball player.
• Max Gresham: A stock car racing driver.
• Mark Hall: The lead singer of the Christian band Casting Crowns.
• Bruce Irvin: An NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks.
• Martin Luther King Sr.: A Baptist pastor and an early leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was the father of Martin Luther King Jr..
• Phil McCullough: A professional baseball player.
• Lee H. Phillips: Awarded the Medal of Honor for his brave actions during the Korean War.
• Dean Roland, Ed Roland, and Will Turpin: Members of the rock band Collective Soul.
• Ricky Sanders: A race car driver.

Stockbridge in Movies and TV

Stockbridge has been a filming location for several popular movies and TV shows:

• The Netflix show Stranger Things filmed some scenes in Stockbridge. The now-closed Patrick Henry High School was used for the middle and high school scenes. A place called Smokin' Cues was also used for filming.
• A scene from Furious 7, part of the Fast and Furious movie series, was filmed at the Vulcan Materials Company's rock quarry.
• Patrick Henry High School was also used to film middle school scenes for the horror movie Brightburn.
• A scene from the movie We Are Marshall was filmed at the W.D. Miller Store in Stockbridge.

Images for kids

• 

  The fountain across from City Hall (01 May 2010)

See also

In Spanish: Stockbridge (Georgia) para niños