Ringgold, Georgia
| Ringgold, Georgia | |
|---|---|
| City | |
.JPG) | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 34°55′2″N 85°6′57″W / 34.91722°N 85.11583°WCoordinates: 34°55′2″N 85°6′57″W / 34.91722°N 85.11583°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Catoosa |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Joe Barger |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.9 sq mi (10.2 km2) |
| • Land | 3.9 sq mi (10.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 778 ft (237 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 3,580 |
| • Density | 621/sq mi (237.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 30736 |
| Area code(s) | 706 |
| FIPS code | 13-65324[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0329441[2] |
| Website | cityofringgold.com |
Ringgold is a city in Catoosa County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,580 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Catoosa County[3]. Ringgold is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Ringgold was founded in 1846 and incorporated as a city in 1847. It was named after Samuel Ringgold, a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto in the U.S.-Mexican War.[4]
Ringgold is where the The General locomotive stopped during the Great Locomotive Chase on April 12, 1862. Ringgold is also home to the historic Ringgold Depot which still contains bullet marks from the American Civil War.
The Battle of Ringgold Gap took place here on November 27, 1863. Confederate Major General Patrick Cleburne with 4,100 men used the mountain pass known as the Ringgold Gap to stall the advance of Union Major General Joseph Hooker and his troops. Hooker's troops were over 12,000 strong. It was a Confederate victory because it allowed Confederate artillery and wagon trains to move safely through the Ringgold Gap unharmed while inflicting high Union casualties.
On March 14, 2002, a sudden heavy fog played havoc with morning traffic and contributed to one of the worst traffic pileups in history; 125 vehicles crashed on Interstate 75 North and four people died. I-75 Accident March 14 2002
The city also gained some notoriety for erecting a display that included the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and a third blank frame. The stated purpose of the third frame was to include alternate beliefs, but the city agreed to remove the display as part of a settlement of complaints.[citation needed]
Country Music legend, Dolly Parton married her husband Carl Dean on May 30, 1966. (Parton, whose manager advised her that marrying at that time would hinder her career, chose to secretly marry out of state, so the marriage would not be announced in any local Nashville [citation needed] newspapers.) Country Music legends, George Jones and Tammy Wynette were also married in Ringgold on February 16, 1969.[citation needed] The city has traditionally been a "marriage center" because of the short waiting time after blood tests and proximity to the Tennessee state line; one testing laboratory in the community offers a combination test/wedding package and sells clocks with the inscription, "I got married in Ringgold, Ga."[citation needed]
Tornado
On April 27, 2011 an EF4[5] tornado touched down in Ringgold and Catoosa County, leaving a path of destruction. The tornado killed twenty people along a 48-mile (77 km) path across Catoosa County, Georgia, then Hamilton County, Tennessee and Bradley County, Tennessee. Eight died in Ringgold including an entire family of four[6] and at least thirty others were injured. Many homes, businesses and schools were damaged or destroyed.[7]
Geography
Ringgold is located at 34°55′2″N 85°6′57″W / 34.91722°N 85.11583°W (34.917170, -85.115698)[8].
Topography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10 km2), of which, 3.9 square miles (10 km2) of it is land and 0.25% is water.
Ringgold is situated in the Valley and Ridge geologic province, characterized by long north-northeasterly trending ridges separated by valleys. The topography was formed by the erosion of alternating layers of hard and soft sedimentary rock that were folded and faulted during the building of the Appalachians.[9] Taylor Ridge (Georgia) runs through Ringgold; a gap in the ridge is located near Ringgold, with the part of the ridge running to the south called Taylors Ridge and to the north called White Oak Mountain. Chickamauga Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River, runs through Ringgold.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ringgold has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[10]
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,422 people, 1,033 households, and 644 families residing in the city. The population density was 617.0 people per square mile (237.9/km²). There were 1,116 housing units at an average density of 284.3 per square mile (109.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.33% White, 6.32% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.58% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.82% of the population.
There were 1,033 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,834, and the median income for a family was $35,132. Males had a median income of $26,943 versus $21,074 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,612. About 14.5% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Catoosa County School District
The Catoosa County School District educates students from pre-school to grade twelve. In the district, there are ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools.[11] The district has 606 full-time teachers and over 9,809 students.[12]
Denia Reese is the Superintendent of Schools.[13]
In popular culture
- Joan Koplan's private security firm JJK Security, featured in the reality television show Small Town Security, is based in and films in Ringgold.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). "Historical Gazetteer of the United States". Routledge. p. 243. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ↑ Ringgold, GA Tornado Confirmed as an EF-4 Tornado, The OKCStormWatcher Weather Blog, April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ↑ Ringgold residents return to 'utter devastation' from tornadoes, WXIA-TV, April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ↑ Ringgold devastated after tornado touchdown, Dalton Daily Citizen, April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ Valley and Ridge geologic province, New Georgia Encyclopedia, retrieved Nov. 8, 2011.
- ↑ Climate Summary for Ringgold, Georgia
- ↑ Georgia Board of Education, Retrieved June 2, 2010.
- ↑ School Stats, Retrieved June 2, 2010.
- ↑ "Catoosa County Pblic Schools". Cataloosa County Schools. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
External links
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