User talk:FResearcher
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Hello, FResearcher, and welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:
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I hope you enjoy editing here and being a Wikipedian! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you need help, check out Wikipedia:Questions, ask me on my talk page, or place {{helpme}} on your talk page and someone will show up shortly to answer your questions. Again, welcome! -Will Beback · † · 04:44, 20 November 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Comments: Augusta, GA Wiki content
The Augusta, GA Wiki article is indeed mostly a page of lists than an article. In an effort to bring the article up to Wiki standards, this what I done:
1. Trying to adopt the APA style of article writing. The essentials in the order of importance, with a reader having the chance to leave at anytime, yet still get the gist of Augusta, GA. Due to this, I crammed as much concise details in the very first paragraph, and slowly expanded content (because if a reader is willing to read 1/3 through, they'll be interested in more than a glance over). Moved the demographic details to the end of the page, as only developers and statistical folks will want to learn the very minute details.
2. Logically restructured the categories. From the beginning history to today.
3. Try to keep to accurate history, by also acknowledging the achievements of the African-American and Chinese communities (many in the world don't know the Chinese community in Augusta is one of the nation's oldest, let alone know they even resided in Augusta before the 1880s), in a "whole history" approach.
4. Trying in the most neutral manner possible to explain our city politics. This is important to state since visitors to international Master's Golf tournament, and future residents, can and will be affected by this tug-of-war.
5. For the grammar and spelling nazis: ran it through MSWord to check correct spelling and grammar.
6. Length (MSWord count, standard page settings, excluding tables):
Pages: 6
Words: 3,341
Characters (no spaces): 18,168
Characters (with spaces): 21,451
Paragraphs: 65
Lines: 313
7. Cites and lists aren't included -- this is just content-- and some Wiki page pointers.
8. Designed city color themed tables to include the details for the mayor (with his photo), commissioners, sheriff and coroner to be added below the geography box. Below the city government box, tables (or maybe lists to keep code down) of local media outlets (so folks can quickly click the Wiki, and if they need to visit the media sites, it's right at their fingertips -- ergonomical page design), to bring all the material in a concise location.
Other notes:
Since I can't find my camera (grumble, grumble), I can't take photos of specific sites around town: Can someone with pictures of Riverwalk, levee, locks, downtown historical sites, the Savannah River and such, upload and share them with the world?
Please offer your insights, suggestions, expanded content and cites to improve the quality of the article.
Thanks!
FResearcher 00:18, 30 January 2007 (UTC)
- Many editors like to work on drafts in their personal "sandbox" subpages, for example User:FResearcher/sandbox. That way their talk pages comments don't get confused with the content material Just a suggestion. Cheers, -Will Beback · † · 07:05, 30 January 2007 (UTC)
| Example | |||
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| Nickname: Example | |||
| Motto: We feel Good | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Georgia | ||
| County | Richmond County | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 306.5 sq mi (793 km²) | ||
| - Land | 302.1 sq mi (782 km²) | ||
| - Water | 4.3 sq mi (11.3 km²) | ||
| Elevation | 420 ft (128 m) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| - City | 195,769 | ||
| - Density | 648/sq mi (250/km²) | ||
| - Metro | 520,332 | ||
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| Website: www.augustaga.gov | |||
| Sister Cities | |
|---|---|
 Takarazuka, Japan [1] Biarritz, France [2] |
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| Mayor | |
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| Commissioners | |
| District 1 | Betty Beard (Mayor Pro-Tem) |
| District 2 | Marion F. Williams |
| District 3 | Joe Bowles |
| District 4 | Sambo Jenkins |
| District 5 | Calvin Holland |
| District 6 | Andy Cheeks |
| District 7 | Jerry Brigham |
| District 8 | Jimmy Smith |
| District 9 | J.R. Hatney |
| District 10 | Don A. Grantham |
| Sheriff | |
| Ronald Strength | |
| Coroner | |
| Grover Tuten | |
| Media: Television | ||
|---|---|---|
| WJBF | Channel 6 | ABC[3] |
| WRDW | Channel 12 | CBS [4] |
| WBEK | Channel 16 | UPN [5] |
| WCES | Channel 20 | PBS [6] |
| WAGT | Channel 26 | NBC [7] |
| WFXG | Channel 54 | FOX [8] |
| Media: Newspapers |
|---|
| Augusta Chronicle [9] |
| Metro Spirit [10] |
| Augusta Focus [11] |
| Metro Courier |
| El Augustino |
| Hola Augusta |
| Media: Radio | ||
|---|---|---|
| WACG | 90.7 FM | NPR/GPB |
| WLPE | 91.7 FM | Christian |
| WRMK | 100.1 FM | Christian |
| WEKL | 102.3 FM | Classic Rock |
| WFXA | 103.1 FM | Urban |
| WBBQ | 104.3 FM | Adult |
| WIBL | 105.7 FM | Country |
| WGAC | 580 AM | News Talk |
| WFAM | 1050 AM | Christian |
| WNRR | 1230 AM | Talk Radio |
| WSGF | 1340 AM | Sports Radio |
| WGUS | 1480 AM | Christian |
| WRDW | 1630 AM | News Talk |
Augusta (population: 195,182) is a city located in the U.S. state of Georgia along the banks of the Savannah River, about 60 miles west of the Columbia and 150 miles east of Atlanta, Georgia. The city was originally named in honor of Augusta, Princess of Wales, daughter-in-law of King George II of Great Britain and mother of King George III of Great Britain, and was the second state capital of Georgia from 1785 until 1795, alternating between the first Georgia capital Savannah. Augusta's official nickname is The Garden City. It is also known as Masters City, since the city hosts the Masters Golf tournament. The city recently adopted the motto, "We Feel Good", in recognition of native son and soul music legend James Brown, and where he is interred today.
In 1996, the governments of the City of Augusta and Richmond County joined to form a single governing body known as Augusta-Richmond County. This consolidated city-county is simply referred to as “Augusta, Georgia”. The city limits of Augusta include all of Richmond County, except for the towns of Hephzibah and Blythe, which maintain separate governments from Augusta. With this consolidation, Augusta has become the second largest city in Georgia, the second largest metropolitan area in the state, and the 147th largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States.
This riverfront city is the birthplace of the Southern Baptist denomination, and the location of Springfield Baptist Church, the oldest autonomous African-American Baptist church in the nation. Although Augusta is facing the same issues of the legacy of Segregation and Jim Crow laws, the city was tolerant to African-American civil rights. This fact is evident as Augusta hosted the largest Freeman community before the Civil War; adopted one of the leading Georgia women in education, Lucy C. Laney; who’s steadfast perseverance and faith help established not only one of the few black schools in Georgia, (http://www.lucycraftlaneymuseum.com/aboutmslaney.htm) she also helped to establish one of the first Black nursing schools in the South, Lamar School of Nursing (http://www.georgiahistory.com/stoneynurses.htm). Combined with one of the oldest independent Black colleges in the United States, Paine College, and one of the must prominent and wealthy Black communities before segregation ended, Augusta has a lot of proud Black history in it’s own right.
The region’s three largest employers include the Department of EnergySavannah River Site, the U.S. Army Signal Center at Fort Gordon, and one of the oldest medical colleges in the United States, the Medical College of Georgia. The city’s famous golf course, the Augusta National Golf Club, hosts the first major golf tournament of each year, The Masters.
Geography
Augusta is located about halfway up the Savannah River on the fall line, providing a number of small falls on the Savannah River. The city itself marks the end of a navigable waterway for the river. The Clarks Hill Dam is also built on the fall line near Augusta, forming Lake Strom Thurmond, also known as Clarks Hill Lake on the Georgia side of the Savannah River. Further downstream, near the border of Columbia County, is the Stevens Creek Dam, which separates the Savannah River from the Augusta Canal. In the south part of the city, below Butler Creek and near Bush Field, is the New Savannah Lock and Dam, which is the last lock on the Savannah River before reaching Savannah.
Residing on the New Line fault, Augusta is wedged between the Georgia Piedmont plateau and Coastal Plain, which makes parts of the city a rolling plain. In the old city limits of the Summerville district, and where the historic Bon Aire resides, it’s simple called “The Hill”, as it’s the highest point in Augusta. Towards the southern part of the city, in some sections the undulations almost mimics going over the Butts Memorial Bridge - a low rollercoaster ride.
Climate and Weather
The Garden City, with its renowned spring dogwoods, whispering pines, and gorgeous gardens, hosts a temperate climate that boosts 256 days of fine growing weather, 56 inches of rain on average, and a mean temperature of 80F. Although the summers are hot and humid, sporting an average of 92F and 80% humidity, its welcome news in winter, when the average winter temps are 43F. The summers are the rainy season, with July being the peak month for rainfall. In winter, if snow does fall, it’s a rarity to have more than 4 inches that lasts a few days. The most pleasant time of the year is the fall season, when the brisk air and 60F to 70F temperatures is just perfect, even to Southerners accustomed to broiling in the hot Georgia sun.
History
Founding
Augusta was first used by Native Americans as a place to cross the Savannah River, because of Augusta's location on the fall line.
In 1735, two years after James Oglethorpe founded Savannah, he sent a detachment of troops on a journey up the Savannah River. He gave them an order to build at the head of the navigable part of the river. The job fell into the hands of Nobel Jones, who created the settlement to provide a first line of defense against the Spanish and the French. Oglethorpe then named the town Augusta, in honor of Princess Augusta, wife of Frederick, Prince of Wales.
The town was laid out on the flat slopes of the Savannah River, just east of the sand hills that would come to be known as "Summerville". The townspeople got along peacefully most of the time with the surrounding tribes of Creek and Cherokee Indians. It’s due to this peace that a treaty with the Creek leader Tomochichi made Augusta reality.
In 1739, construction began on a road to connect Augusta to Savannah. This made it possible for people to reach Augusta by horse, rather than by boat, and more people began to migrate inland to Augusta. Later, in 1750, Augusta's first church, St. Paul's, was built near Fort Augusta. It became the leader of the local parish.
Under Georgia's new constitution, a new political structure was laid out in 1777, and Augusta's parish government would be replaced by a new county government, Richmond County, which was named after the Duke of Richmond.
The American Revolution
Unlike the northern states, the South was more ambivalent in succeeding from the British Crown, and with Georgia, due to it being the last colony it relied on the British to hold back skirmishes with the Creeks and Cherokees. Patriotism is a strong tradition in the South, and it was evident even under the hardship of King George III reign, when the Augustan population was divided between Royalists and Rebels. This admiration to Mother England (and later with Irish and Scottish immigrants to Ireland and Scotland) shaped the Southern mindset to this very day, from the language, education and consuming that quintessential Southern drink, iced tea.
During the American Revolution, Savannah fell to the British. This left Augusta as the new state capital and a new prime target of the British. By January 31, 1779, Augusta was captured by Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell. But Campbell soon withdrew, as American troops were gathering on the opposite shore of the Savannah River. Augusta again became the state capital, but not for long. Augusta fell into British hands once more before the end of the war.
Augustan Medicine
In 1828, the Georgia General Assembly granted a formal charter for the Medical Academy of Georgia, and the school began training physicians in two borrowed rooms of the City Hospital. By 1873, an affiliation was made with the University of Georgia, and the school became the Medical Department of the University. The school would become the Medical College of Georgia in 1956. In 1914, University Hospital was founded near the Medical College, forming the anchor of a heavily developed medical sector in the city.
The Historic Chinese Community
During the construction of the Augusta Canal in 1841, Augusta became the home of Chinese laborers, who’s imprint gave Augusta an unique cosmopolitan flair unlike other strictly Antebellum locales. Having settled in Augusta since, this Asian community is one of the oldest in the United States, predating even the famous Chinatown in California. Their progression from construction workers to shopkeepers, in a time when being of being a “foreigner” and of “color” was a liability, is a testament of their perseverance and dedication to be full citizens of the American Dream. Their experience has enriched not only the history of Augusta, with the completion of the Augusta Canal, their hard work ensured that King Cotton was possible.
Georgia Railroad and the Start of Augusta’s Commerce
The Georgia Railroad was built by local contractors Fannin, Grant & Co in 1845 giving Augusta a rail link to Atlanta, which connected to the Tennessee River at Chattanooga, Tennessee, thus providing access to the Mississippi River. The cost-savings of this link from the middle of the country to the Atlantic Ocean via the Savannah River increased trade considerably. Augusta had a population of 12,493 by 1860, being one of 102 U.S. cities at the time to have a population of over 10,000, and making it the second largest city in Georgia.
From then until the American Civil War, with the establishment of the Augusta Canal, Augusta became a leader in the production of textiles, gunpowder, and paper.
The Civil War
Originally, Augustans welcomed the idea of the Civil War. The new Confederate Powderworks were the only permanent structures constructed and completed by the Confederacy. Over 2000 Augustans went away to fight in the war, but war did not set into the minds of Augustans until the summer of 1863. It was in that year that thousands of refugees from areas threatened by invasion came crowding into Augusta, leading to shortages in housing and provisions. The threatening nearness of General Sherman's advancing army, caused panic in the streets of the once-quiet town. Augusta was spared the ravages of Sherman’s March to the Sea, with colorful local folklore in why he avoided destroying the city.
President Woodrow Wilson’s father, a local Presbyterian minister, attended to the Confederate war injured in his church. It’s reported that this wholesale carnage affected the then young Woodrow Wilson to war, and one of the reasons he helped to establish the League of Nations.
King Cotton
Unlike most Southern cities, Postbellum life for Augusta was very prosperous. With the creation of the Augusta Canal, and its prime location near farmland especially suited for cotton growing, Augusta became the second largest inland cotton exchange in the world. Out of this industry sprang the historic Sibley and Enterprise cotton mills, who’s manufacturing of cotton thread and fabric became a leading industry in the city for 100 years.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Augusta was at the dawn of its prime.
Flood of 1912 and the Great 1912 Fire
These two events shaped the history of Augusta in both negative and positive ways: negative, as it destroyed many fine homes on Greene Street, and businesses on Broad Street - the fire alone incinerated 32 blocks and 762 buildings; positive, because it illustrated the need to shore up the banks of the Savannah River and have a professional fire department. The end result was a creation of the Augusta Levee, which was incorporated into River Walk 80 years later. This earthen levee and breeches, ensures that downtown Augusta can hold back rising water from the Savannah River, and was tested for worthiness again during the 1990 flood.
World War I ***Note: Needs to be expanded by a few more sentences***
A new military cantonment, named Camp Hancock, opened in Forest Hills during World War I. It trained nearly 60,000 mostly Pennsylvanians Army recruits.
Camp Gordon also graduated fine Doughboys, including the Medal of Honor hero of WWI, Sergeant Alvin York.
Due to the warm welcome and community support for both Camp Hancock and Camp Gordon, it helped to established the more permanent U.S. Army base, Fort Gordon.
World War II
Prior to World War II, the U.S. Army constructed a new fort near Richmond County, Camp Gordon, which was finished a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many new soldiers were brought to this camp to train to go off to war. While they were there, though, the townspeople treated them nicely, causing many of them to come back to Augusta at the end of the war, and this practice continues to this day. Within the few months after WWII, many of the GIs at Camp Gordon had been sent back home, and the importance of the army in the community seemed to almost come to an end.
Augusta's Golden Age
In 1948, new life came to the city when the U.S. Army moved the Signal Training Center and Military Police School to Camp Gordon. Later, in November 1948, the Clarks Hill Reservoir was created by a newly constructed dam, which provided the city with a supply of hydroelectric power. In 1950, plans were announced to build the Savannah River Plant nearby, which would boost the city's population about 50,000. Augusta moved into the second half of the twentieth century on the threshold of becoming an urban industrial center in the South.
Civil Rights Era
The success of the Augusta African-American community of the 19th century, slowly eroded with the advent of the [[Jim Crow] laws, and the rise of the Cracker and Dixiecrat politics. Segregation became centralized and institutionalized, to the point city transportation and sidewalks became for only “Whites” and “Colored”.
The American Civil Rights Movement touched Augusta as it did the rest of the United States. In 1961, soul musician Ray Charles cancelled a scheduled performance at the Bell Auditorium when he learned that the black attendees would be segregated from the whites and forced to sit in the balcony. A few days after the Kent State shootings and Jackson State killings in May 1970, six African-American students were killed by police for civil rights demonstrations.
These factors help to create the political and social conflict that continues to defy reconciliation today.
Modern Times
Beginning in the late 1970s, businesses started leaving downtown Augusta for suburban shopping malls. That started a trend of urban abandonment and decay. To counter this trend, city politicians and business leaders promoted revitalizing Augusta's hidden riverfront (obscured by a levee) into a beautiful Riverwalk with parks, an amphitheater, hotels, museums, and art galleries. The first segment of The Riverwalk was opened in the late 1980s and later expanded in the early 1990s. However, the renaissance of the riverfront did not appear to be spilling over into Augusta's main street, Broad Street, as more businesses were leaving and more storefronts boarded up.
In 1995, members of the art community and downtown boosters started a monthly event called First Friday. It was a night festival whose aim was to bring crowds back to downtown. It featured local bands, street performers, and art galleries opened late. Since 1995, more businesses have started to return to downtown, including many new restaurants and bars. A block of upper Broad Street has been named Artists Row and is home to several locally owned art galleries.
Government
- See also: List of mayors of Augusta, Georgia
The consolidated government consists of a mayor and 10 Augusta-Richmond County commissioners. Eight commissioners represent specific districts, while the other two represent super districts comprised of the other eight. With consolidation, the Augusta Police Department(APD) and Richmond County Sheriff Department(RCSD) merged, and the city now is protected by the RCSD.
Politics in Augusta often tend to be racially based. With the legacy of segregation and Jim Crow laws politics have a sharp edge when it deals with socio-economic and race issues. Augusta, like many other Southern cities grappling with how to heal from institutional racism, and in this great social experiment to heal, grievances from both African-Americans and Caucasians can and do make each justify political vengeance. This discord is apparent with the life and death of James Brown, where African-Americans and Caucasians would verbally fight over if Mr. Brown is worthy of acclaim with his criminal convictions. This “push/pull” transcends in politics as using power to “pay back” for past wrongs, which divides Caucasian residents who feel that it’s now the 21st century and it’s time to move on, and then Black residents feel is yet another continuation of institutionalized racism.
Augusta and Richmond County also have a long history of political machines such as The Crackers, which had a monopoly on city politics for much of the first half of the 20th century. The “Southside Mafia” was a political machine that dominated county government for much of the latter half of the 20th century prior to consolidation in 1996.
Recreation
Being a “river town” recreation in Augusta is often around the flowing Savannah River. Be it the drag boat racing competition; the annual raft race; cruising upstream from the Augusta Marina port; having a picnic or barbeque at the Lock and Dams; walking along the River Walk; to relaxing along the banks fishing with even a cane pole.
When not sporting on the water, Augustans enjoy watching the Augusta Green Jackets play to the 9th inning, braving the Southern ice with Augusta Lynx hockey team at the James Brown Civic Center, and enjoying the cowboy experience during the National Cutting Horse Championship.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 195,182 people, 72,307 households, and 48,228 families residing in the balance. The population density was 249.4/km² (646.0/mi²). There were 80,481 housing units at an average density of 102.8/km² (266.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the balance was 44.91% White, 50.37% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 72,307 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 20.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the balance the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.4% 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 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the balance was $32,972, and the median income for a family was $38,431. Males had a median income of $29,663 versus $22,764 for females. The per capita income for the balance was $17,117. About 16.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those aged 65 or over.
[edit] Image:Broadstreet.jpg
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