kids encyclopedia robot

Jackson, Georgia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Jackson, Georgia
Butts County Courthouse
Butts County Courthouse
Official logo of Jackson, Georgia
Logo
Location in Butts County and the state of Georgia
Location in Butts County and the state of Georgia
Country United States
State Georgia
County Butts
Area
 • Total 6.10 sq mi (15.79 km2)
 • Land 6.08 sq mi (15.74 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
705 ft (215 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 5,557
 • Density 914.28/sq mi (352.98/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30233
Area code(s) 770
FIPS code 13-41596
GNIS feature ID 0332079

Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Butts County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,045 in 2010, up from 3,934 at the 2000 census. In 2020, its population was 5,557. The community was named after governor James Jackson.

History

Founded in 1826, Jackson began as a 303-acre (1.23 km2) plot purchased for the purpose of starting the town. The plot was divided into squares and each square into lots. The first buyer of a lot in the new town was John D. Swift of Newton County, Georgia. During the Civil War, much of Jackson was razed by the army of General William T. Sherman during his March to the Sea. After the war, Jackson, like much of the South, struggled economically for decades. Jackson remained little more than a small village until the arrival of the railroads in the latter half of the 19th century. On May 5, 1882, the first train arrived in Jackson, heralding a new era in the transportation of people and goods.

During the 20th century, Jackson grew and industrial textile mills became the largest employer of local citizens. The arrival of Interstate 75 just a few miles to the southwest of the city gave citizens quick access to Atlanta and Macon. The numerous schools throughout the county consolidated into one central school system located in Jackson, and the schools desegregated in 1968. In the 1970s, Jackson slowly became a bedroom community. City taxes were also abolished in the 1970s.

Geography

Jackson is located in the center of Butts County at 33°17′37″N 83°57′45″W / 33.293600°N 83.962372°W / 33.293600; -83.962372. It is 46 miles (74 km) southeast of downtown Atlanta. The center of population of Georgia is located 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Jackson near the Butts County/Newton County line.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.2 km2), of which 6.2 square miles (16.1 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.50%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 212
1890 922 334.9%
1900 1,487 61.3%
1910 1,862 25.2%
1920 2,027 8.9%
1930 1,776 −12.4%
1940 1,917 7.9%
1950 2,053 7.1%
1960 2,545 24.0%
1970 3,778 48.4%
1980 4,133 9.4%
1990 4,076 −1.4%
2000 3,934 −3.5%
2010 5,045 28.2%
2020 5,557 10.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
Jackson racial composition as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 2,721 48.97%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 2,399 43.17%
Native American 10 0.18%
Asian 25 0.45%
Pacific Islander 3 0.05%
Other/Mixed 211 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 188 3.38%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,557 people, 1,799 households, and 1,141 families residing in the city.

Media

Jackson is the home of WJGA-FM 92.1.

Jackson is a frequent backdrop for a number of television shows. Beginning in 2016, Jackson appeared in Stranger Things, representing the show's setting in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in the early 1980s. Exterior filming locations included the downtown (with some buildings freshly painted for filming), a furniture store (standing in for a cinema exterior), and the Butts County Probate court.

The popularity of the show has attracted many fans to the town. Other shows which have been filmed in the area include The CW's The Originals.

State prison

The Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison of the Georgia Department of Corrections is a maximum security prison in unincorporated Butts County about 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Jackson. It is home to Georgia's death row and execution facility. The prison is also home to maximum security general population (non-death row).

Education

The Butts County School District, grades pre-school to twelve, consists of three elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 184 full-time teachers and over 3,370 students.

  • Hampton L. Daughtry Elementary School
  • Jackson Elementary School
  • Stark Elementary School
  • Henderson Middle School
  • Jackson High School

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jackson (Georgia) para niños

kids search engine
Jackson, Georgia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.