Villa Rica, Georgia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Villa Rica is a city in Carroll County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,134 at the 2000 census. Census Estimates of 2005 indicate a doubling of population with 9,897 in the city.

Villa Rica is the birthplace of Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of gospel music. Coca-cola business tycoon and former mayor of Atlanta Asa Griggs Candler, as well as former baseball star Fred "Dixie" Walker were also born here.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Historic Sites
4 Arts, Entertainment, Festivals
5 Demographics
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Villa Rica is located at 33°43′55″N, 84°55′12″W (33.731909, -84.919982)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.9 km² (12.7 mi²). 32.5 km² (12.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.26%) is water.

[edit] History

Villa Rica was originally established in 1826 on land ceded by the Creeks with a treaty by chief McIntosh in 1825 along what is now Dallas Highway. It was in 1826 that wagons arrived in the area from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to what was then known as Hixtown (named after a local tavern operator). Villa Rica moved to its present location in 1882 when the railroad was built with most of the town's structures being physically moved to the new site. The city was incorporated as Villa Rica incorporated in 1881. The name Villa Rica is derived from Spanish for "village of gold" and the city’s name change from Hixtown was done to help promote the gold in the area.

Shortly after the arrival of the wagons in 1826, gold was discovered here.^ 1826 was also the year that Carroll county was created and named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland because he was the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence. Although it did not develop into the large gold rush that would strike Georgia a few years later, there was asmall gold rush in Villa Rica in the late 1820’s. When the Georgia Gold Rush took hold 1829, most of the Villa Rica miners moved northeast to the Dahlonega area. Nevertheless, some mining continued in the area, with several hundred men employed in nearby mines in 1832. By 1860, the gold supplies in the area had been largely exhausted.

^Some sources place the date of the gold discovery as early as 1823 and as late as 1830.

Bankhead Highway in the 1930s provided a boom to the city as well as the later construction of Interstate 20. The Freedom Riders passed through Villa Rica the same day their bus was burned in Anniston, Alabama.

[edit] Historic Sites

Wicks Tavern -- 1830 -- rescued from being demolished in 1998 this was moved downtown from Old Villa Rica (Hixtown). Now serves as the home of Forrest Escort SCV and the Friends of Wick's Tavern.

Old Villa Rica Library -- 1951 -- oldest International style building in West Georgia. Predates the National Register listed Douglas County Courthouse (also International Design). Recently recognized by Kennesaw State University's Public History program as a threatened site on threatenedsites.org.

Stockmar Gold Mine -- 1800s-1900s -- presently being preserved as a city park and future gold museum.

Mclendon Meadows Hickory Point Cedars Glen Whitney Heights

[edit] Arts, Entertainment, Festivals

Thomas Doresy Gospel Festival - Closest Saturday to July 1st.
Gold Rush Festival -- Saturday after Labor Day.
Homecoming parade and pep rally ( 2006's theme was Disco Fever, following 2005's theme Are you Ready to luau?)

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 4,134 people, 1,550 households, and 1,114 families residing in the city. The population density was 127.1/km² (329.2/mi²). There were 1,769 housing units at an average density of 54.4/km² (140.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.32% White, 17.90% African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.

There were 1,550 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,161, and the median income for a family was $37,138. Males had a median income of $31,103 versus $21,516 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,310. About 11.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 29.6% of those age 65 or over.