Calhoun, Georgia

Calhoun, Georgia
City
Downtown Calhoun and Courthouse
Motto: "Land of the Cherokee"[1]
Location in Gordon County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 34°30′0″N 84°56′33″W / 34.50000°N 84.94250°W / 34.50000; -84.94250Coordinates: 34°30′0″N 84°56′33″W / 34.50000°N 84.94250°W / 34.50000; -84.94250
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Gordon
Incorporated (city)	January 1852[2]
Area
• Total	11.7 sq mi (30.2 km2)
• Land	11.7 sq mi (30.2 km2)
Elevation	659 ft (201 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	15,650
• Density	911.7/sq mi (353.2/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	30701, 30703 (PO Boxes)
Area code(s)	706/762
FIPS code	13-12456[3]
GNIS feature ID	0354936[4]
Website	City of Calhoun Georgia Website

Calhoun is a city in Gordon County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,650.^[5] Calhoun is the county seat of Gordon County.^[6][7]

History

Calhoun was a part of the Cherokee Nation (including New Echota, capital of the Cherokee Nation) until December 29, 1835. Cherokee leaders such as The Ridge and William Hicks had developed numerous productive farms in the fertile Oothcaloga Valley. When the Cherokee refused to give up the remainder of their lands under the Indian Removal Act, after years of land cessions to the United States for white settlers in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee, President Andrew Jackson sent US troops to the northern region of Georgia to force most of the tribe to move to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River, most notably present-day Oklahoma. (see more information on Trail of Tears).

In December 1827, Georgia had already claimed the Cherokee lands that became Gordon County and other counties. A small town called Dawsonville was created and founded in the Gordon County, named for the owner of an early general store. Dawsonville was later renamed Calhoun to honor U.S. Senator John C. Calhoun,^[8] following his death in 1850.

Gordon County's inferior court called an election for the selection of the county seat, offering voters a choice between a site on the Western & Atlantic Railroad (involving Adairsville) or a site more centrally located within the county. Voters chose a site along the railroad, so the inferior court designated Calhoun as county seat in 1851. The legislature incorporated Calhoun in an act approved on January 12, 1852 (See Ga. Laws 1851-52, page 419 as an evidence).

On January 5, 1861, Georgia seceded from the Union as a prelude to the American Civil War. Calhounians joined the Confederacy. Most warfare took place elsewhere but, on May 16, 1864, Calhoun was near where the Union General William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston postured before the Battle of Adairsville during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign. Oakleigh, the home of Dr. Wall, was used by Sherman as his headquarters at that time.

A tornado on March 20, 1888, leveled much of Calhoun. A devastating fire on October 23 of that year destroyed most of what remained.^[9]

Geography

Calhoun is located at 34°30′0″N 84°56′33″W / 34.50000°N 84.94250°W / 34.50000; -84.94250 (34.499898, -84.942584),^[10] along the Oostanaula River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.7 square miles (30 km²), of which 11.6 square miles (30 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) (0.17%) is water. Calhoun is located along U.S. Interstate 75, approximately 70 miles (110 km) north of Atlanta, and 50 miles (80 km) south of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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, Calhoun has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[11]

Demographics

Calhoun Railroad Depot was one of the train stations in 1862 where the Great Locomotive Chase passed from Adairsville, Georgia.

1960 courthouse on former site of 1880 courthouse.

Oakleigh, once a headquarters of General Sherman and home of Dr. Wall, now Gordon Historical Society.

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 10,667 people, 4,049 households, and 2,672 families residing in the city. The population density was 915.4 inhabitants per square mile (353.5/km²). There were 4,298 housing units at an average density of 368.8 per square mile (142.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.91% White, 7.56% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 11.61% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 17.07% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,049 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,618, and the median income for a family was $42,310. Males had a median income of $27,616 versus $25,018 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,887. About 12.5% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 19.1% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Museums and other points of interest

• New Echota Historic Site, first Cherokee capital
• Roland Hayes Museum^[15] at the Harris Arts Center^[16]
• Oakleigh/Gordon County Historical Society
• Mercer Air Museum
• Premium Outlets of Calhoun, GA

Education

Calhoun City School District

The Calhoun City School District serves preschool to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school, separate from the county school district.^[17] The district has 166 full-time teachers and over 2,666 students.^[18]

• Calhoun Primary School - grades K-2
• Calhoun Elementary School - grade 3-5
• Calhoun Middle School - grades 6-8
• Calhoun High School

Gordon County School District

The Gordon County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of six elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools, serving the area outside the city limits.^[19] The district has 365 full-time teachers and over 6,259 students.^[20]

Private school

• Downing Clark Academy, Inc.

Religious schools

Seventh-day Adventist

• John L. Coble Elementary School - K-8th grades
• Georgia-Cumberland Academy - boarding 9-12 high school

Higher education

• Georgia Northwestern Technical College (formerly Coosa Valley Technical College)

Media

Radio and TV

Although well outside of metro Atlanta, Calhoun is considered part of the Atlanta television market, the ninth-largest DMA according to Nielsen Media Research. Cable TV service is offered through Comcast Cable, which provides one public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV channel named WEBS cable 3.

There are now four radio stations having Calhoun as their city of license:

• WEBS AM 1030, playing oldies, simulcasts on local Xfinity cable channel 3; station originally broadcast on AM 1110, from approximately 1965-1990.
• WIPK FM 94.5, owned by WEBS, went on-air in late 2011 with a country music format.
• WJTH AM 900, playing country music; frequency was earlier assigned to WCGA, which broadcast from approximately 1950-1975
  • W269CC 101.7, transmitting WJTH programming from WJTH tower, but having nearby Adairsville as the city of license
• WLOJ-LP 102.9, religious (owned and operated by the Calhoun Seventh-day Adventist Church)

Many other stations from Rome, Atlanta, and Chattanooga are also available across northwest Georgia, though reception of these often depends on weather.

There is also a semi-weekly newspaper, The Calhoun Times

Notable people

• Elias Boudinot (1802-1839), born Gallegina Uwati, also known as Buck Watie, Cherokee Indian leader who believed that acculturation was critical to the tribe's survival; influential in the period of removal to the West.
• Kris Durham, professional football player; wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders.
• Roland Hayes (1887–1977), world-renowned lyric tenor, considered the first African-American male concert artist to receive wide acclaim both at home and internationally, was born here and attended Calhoun schools. Critics lauded his abilities and linguistic skills with songs in French, German, and Italian.
• Sequoyah (English: George Gist or George Guess) (c.1767-1843), Cherokee Indian, inventor of the Cherokee Syllabary. This was the only time in recorded history that a member of a non-literate people independently created an effective writing system. He was also the namesake of California's giant Sequoia sempervirens redwood tree.
• William Thompson (1848–1918), Olympic gold medal winner.
• Stand Watie (1806–1871), Cherokee Indian leader and Confederate general.
• Dale Willis (1938-), Major League Baseball player.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calhoun, Georgia.

• New Echota Historic Site web site
• City of Calhoun Georgia Website Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
• City-Data.com Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Calhoun
• Calhoun-Gordon Arts Council web site
• Calhoun Times web site
• Gordon County schools website (does not include city schools)

Municipalities and communities of Gordon County, Georgia, United States County seat: Calhoun Cities Calhoun Fairmount Plainville Resaca Town Ranger Unincorporated communities Audubon Blackwood Cash Colima Crane Eater Damascus Decora Farmville Fidelle Lewis Corner Lily Pond McDaniels New Town Nickelsville Oakman Oostanaula Petersburg Red Bud Reeves Ryo Sonoraville Soapstick Sugar Valley