Timeline of Augusta, Georgia facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Augusta, Georgia, USA.

18th century

• 1740 - Savannah-Augusta "highway" constructed.
• 1750 - St. Paul's Church established.
• 1779 - January 29: Augusta taken by British forces.
• 1780 - Georgia state capital relocated to Augusta.
• 1781
  • April 16: Siege of Augusta by American forces begins.
  • May: British-occupied Fort Grierson taken by American forces.
• 1785 - Academy of Richmond County opens.
• 1789
  • Town of Augusta incorporated.
  • The Augusta Chronicle newspaper in publication.
• 1790
  • "Negro" Baptist Church established.
  • Government House built.
• 1791
  • May: U.S. president George Washington visits Augusta.
  • Bridge built across Savannah River.
• 1792 - John Milton becomes mayor.
• 1795 - Meadow Garden built as summer house of George Walton, youngest signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

19th century

• 1802 - Wray's drug store in business.
• 1805 - Methodist church built (approximate date).
• 1808 - Library Company and Thespian Society founded.
• 1810 - Bank of Augusta established.
• 1812 - First Presbyterian Church built.
• 1815 - Catholic church built (approximate date).
• 1817 - City of Augusta incorporated.
• 1818 - Magnolia Cemetery in use.
• 1819 - Augusta Arsenal built.
• 1820 - First Baptist Church built.
• 1821
  • Town of Hamburg established in South Carolina across the river from Augusta.
  • Free School Society (charity) formed.
• 1822 - Medical Society incorporated.
• 1824 - City Hall built.
• 1825 - Lafayette visits Augusta.
• 1827 - Library Society founded.
• 1828
  • Medical Academy of Georgia founded.
  • Unitarian church built.
• 1829 - April 3: Fire.
• 1830 - Population: 6,710.
• 1833 - Charleston-Augusta railway begins operating.
• 1836 - Broad Street fire.
• 1837
  • Georgia Railroad (Augusta-Berzelia) begins operating.
  • Augusta Chronicle & Sentinel newspaper begins publication.
• 1840 - Yellow fever epidemic.
• 1845 - Southern Baptist Convention founded at a meeting in Augusta.
• 1847 - Augusta Canal built.
• 1848
  • Young Men's Library Association formed.
  • Signers Monument dedicated.
• 1850 - Population: 9,448.
• 1854
  • Augusta and Savannah Railroad begins operating.
  • Yellow fever epidemic.
• 1858 - Fruitland Nurseries in business.
• 1860 - Population: 12,493.
• 1861 - January 24: U.S. arsenal occupied by Confederate forces of Georgia state.
• 1862
  • Confederate Powderworks begins operating.
  • St. Patrick's Church built.
• 1863 - April: Photo-illustrated wanted poster introduced.
• 1864 - January: Flood.
• 1865
  • U.S. Army takes city.
  • Colored American newspaper begins publication.
• 1866 - State Freedmen's Conventions held in Augusta.
• 1867 - Augusta Institute (later Morehouse College) established.
• 1869
  • "Iron works factory" in business.
  • Synagogue built.
• 1870 - Cotton States Mechanics and Agricultural Fair held in Augusta.
• 1877 - Augusta Evening News begins publication.
• 1878 - Augusta Confederate Monument dedicated.
• 1879 - Augusta Institute relocated to Atlanta from Augusta.
• 1880 - Population: 21,891.
• 1882 - Paine Institute established.
• 1886 - Haines Normal and Industrial Institute founded.
• 1890 - Augusta Herald newspaper begins publication.
• 1892 - Negro Press Association of Georgia formed during meeting in Augusta.
• 1894 - Buffalo kindergarten opens.

20th century

• 1900 - Population: 39,441.
• 1908 - Flood.
• 1909 - Church of the Immaculate Conception established.
• 1910 - Springfield Baptist Church built.
• 1912
  • Flood.
  • "Street railway strike" occurs.
  • Summerville becomes part of Augusta.
• 1916
  • Fire.
  • Levee and United States Post Office and Courthouse built.
• 1917 - U.S. military Camp Gordon and Camp Hancock established near Augusta.
• 1918 - Imperial Theatre opens.
• 1919 - City's "first paved four-lane highway" opens.
• 1926 - Junior College of Augusta established.
• 1933 - Augusta Museum and Augusta National Golf Club established.
• 1934
  • C.T. Walker Traditional Magnet School is established.
  • WRDW radio begins broadcasting.
• 1935 - City bicentennial.
• 1937 - August: Blood drive organized.
• 1940 - Augusta Drive-In cinema in business.
• 1945 - September 15: Future opera star Jessye Norman born in Augusta.
• 1948 - City manager form of government adopted.
• 1949 - Lucy Craft Laney High School established.
• 1950 - Bush Field begins operating as a civilian airport.
• 1953 - WJBF-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
• 1954 - WRDW-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
• 1961 - Augusta Area Vocational-Technical School founded.
• 1970 - May 11–13: Racial unrest.
• 1978 - Augusta Mall in business.
• 1996 - "City of Augusta consolidated with Richmond County to form Augusta-Richmond County."
• 1997 - April 24: African-American golfer Tiger Woods, age 21, wins 1997 Masters Tournament.

21st century

• 2005 - John Barrow becomes U.S. representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district.
• 2010 - Population: 195,844.
• 2014 - Ice storm.
• 2015
  • Hardie Davis becomes mayor.
  • Rick W. Allen becomes U.S. representative for Georgia's 12th congressional district.