Mount Airy, Georgia

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Mount Airy is a town in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 604 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External links

[edit] Geography

Mount Airy is located at 34°31′3″N, 83°30′22″W (34.517638, -83.506177)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.8 km² (1.9 mi²). 4.8 km² (1.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.53% is water. Mount Airy is the highest point on the Southern Railway line between New Orleans and Washington, DC. This is confirmed by a US Geological survey marker located on the tracks just behind the City Hall.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 604 people, 235 households, and 179 families residing in the town. The population density was 124.7/km² (323.3/mi²). There were 256 housing units at an average density of 52.9/km² (137.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 92.38% White, 2.32% African American, 0.17% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 0.99% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.65% of the population.

There were 235 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,813, and the median income for a family was $45,375. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $23,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,493. About 3.5% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

The town of Mount Airy was founded on March 3, 1874. It began primarily as summer retreat for the wealthy families from Atlanta and Savannah. There was once a grand motel called the Monterrey where the current City Hall stands. Many wealthy families fleeing the hot dangerous summers to the south came to the hotel. The summers to the south were dangerous due to the large populations of Malaria carrying mosquitos. Mount Airy was a popular tourist destination with many families eventually establishing homes in the area. Mount Airy is bordered to the south by the Chattahoochee National Forest.

A grand white columned home on Seventh Street was once the home of Baseball legend Ty Cobb. Cobb lived in the home for some time after his retirement. The home still stands as a private residence. It is on the national registery of historic sites. Mount Airy is also the hometown of the nation's longest serving elected state official, Tommy Irvin. Irvin is Georgia's Agriculture Commissioner.