Thomaston, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Thomaston
City
Thomaston-Upson County Government Administration Complex
Flag Seal Logo
Motto(s):  "One of the Best 100 Towns"
Location in Upson County and the state of Georgia.
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Upson
Area
• Total	9.74 sq mi (25.24 km2)
• Land	9.54 sq mi (24.71 km2)
• Water	0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2)
Elevation	784 ft (239 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,816
• Density	1,029.04/sq mi (397.32/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	30286
Area code(s)	706
FIPS code	13-76168
GNIS feature ID	0324093
Website	Official City of Thomaston, Georgia Government Website: http://www.cityofthomaston.com/

Thomaston is a city in Georgia, United States. It is the main city of Upson County. In 2020, about 9,816 people lived there. Thomaston is part of a larger area called the Thomaston Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also included in the bigger Atlanta region.

History of Thomaston

The Upson County Courthouse was built in 1908 in Thomaston, Georgia.

Thomaston became a city on January 1, 1825. It was chosen as the main town for Upson County. The city got its name from General Jett Thomas. He was a brave soldier who fought in the War of 1812.

Geography of Thomaston

Thomaston is located near the center of Upson County. Its exact location is 32.90 degrees North and 84.333333 degrees West. The city is in the west-central Piedmont region of Georgia.

Major Roads in Thomaston

U.S. Route 19 is the main road that goes north and south through the city. It leads north about 16 kilometers (10 miles) to Zebulon. To the south, it goes about 28 kilometers (17 miles) to Butler.

Georgia State Routes 36 and 74 are the main roads that go east and west. GA-36 goes northeast about 17 kilometers (11 miles) to Barnesville. It goes southwest about 18 kilometers (11 miles) to Woodland. GA-74 goes east about 12 kilometers (7 miles) to Yatesville. It goes northwest about 19 kilometers (12 miles) to Woodbury.

Population and People

In 2020, the city had 9,816 people. There were 3,333 households and 1,779 families living in Thomaston.

Industries in Thomaston

The main type of work in Thomaston is manufacturing. This means making things in factories, and it makes up 36.5% of all jobs. The second biggest industry is education, health, and social services, which is 21.0%. Retail trade, like stores and shops, is the third largest at 11.6%. Other jobs in Thomaston include farming, construction, transportation, and public administration.

Arts and Culture

Historic Places in Thomaston

The Upson County courthouse was built in 1908. It is a very old and important building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other historic places include:

• Pettigrew-White-Stamps House
• Silvertown Mill District

Annual Events in Thomaston

Thomaston holds an annual Emancipation Proclamation Celebration every May. This event celebrates freedom. It is the oldest and longest-running celebration of its kind in the nation.

Parks and Recreation

Thomaston has great places for outdoor fun:

• Sprewell Bluff Park: This park is located on the Flint River.
• The Greatest Generation Recreational Park: A place for people to play and relax.

Education in Thomaston

Thomaston-Upson County School District

The Thomaston-Upson County School District serves students from pre-school up to twelfth grade. The district has two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. There are 279 full-time teachers. Over 5,009 students attend schools in the district.

• Upson-Lee Elementary School
• Upson-Lee Primary School
• Upson-Lee Middle School
• Upson-Lee High School
• Upson-Lee Pre-k
• Upson-Lee Alternative School

Colleges and Universities

Southern Crescent Technical College is located in Thomaston. It is a two-year school where students can learn technical skills.

Notable People from Thomaston

John Brown Gordon, a Confederate general and Georgia governor.

Many interesting people have come from Thomaston:

• Coy Bowles - A Grammy award-winning country artist from the Zac Brown Band.
• Elia Goode Byington (1858–1936) - A journalist who wrote for newspapers.
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - A professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets.
• Mike Cavan - A football player and former head coach at SMU.
• Wayne Cochran - A musician known for his band, Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders.
• Ivylyn Girardeau - A medical missionary who worked in Pakistan.
• John Brown Gordon - A trusted general for Robert E. Lee during the American Civil War. He was also the governor of Georgia from 1886 to 1890.
• Frank Gordy (1904–1983) - The person who started The Varsity restaurant chain.
• William Guilford (1844–1909) - A businessman and state legislator.
• Bill Hartman - A football running back for the Georgia Bulldogs and Washington Redskins.
• John Holliman (1948–1998) - A broadcast journalist famous as one of CNN's "Boys of Baghdad" during the first Persian Gulf War.
• Marion Montgomery - A poet, novelist, and educator. He was a close friend of writer Flannery O'Connor.
• Dallas Raines - A weather forecaster at KABC in Los Angeles.
• Cedric Smith - An African American painter.
• Hunter Strickland - A professional baseball pitcher.
• Travon Walker - The first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

See also

In Spanish: Thomaston (Georgia) para niños