Lavonia, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lavonia, Georgia
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Main Street, Lavonia, Georgia, May 2017
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| Motto(s):
"Home to Land of Spirit",
"Big Time Small Town" |
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Location in Franklin County and the state of Georgia
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| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| Counties | Franklin, Hart |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.53 sq mi (11.73 km2) |
| • Land | 4.51 sq mi (11.67 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 853 ft (260 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,143 |
| • Density | 475.59/sq mi (183.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
30553
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| Area code(s) | 706 |
| FIPS code | 13-45460 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0316687 |
Lavonia is a city in Franklin and Hart Counties, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,156 at the 2010 census, up from 1,827 at the 2000 census.
Contents
Geography
Lavonia is located in northeastern Franklin County at 34°26′10″N 83°6′23″W / 34.43611°N 83.10639°W (34.436055, -83.106270). A small portion of the town extends southeast into Hart County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 0.53%, is covered by water.
The city lies along Interstate 85, 53 miles (85 km) southwest of Greenville, South Carolina, and 94 miles (151 km) northeast of Atlanta.
History
The Cherokee people were indigenous to the area in which Lavonia is located. A sophisticated tribe that typically dwelled in cabins by the 18th century, the Cherokee joined with the British during the American Revolution. When the American colonists prevailed, their land was issued as bounty land to those who had fought in the revolution. As a result, European Americans began to move into the Lavonia area during the 1780s.
The founding of the town of Lavonia came as the result of the expansion of the railroad in northeast Georgia. A railroad line known as the Elberton-Airline Railroad desired another station further to the north. In a move typical for the time, businessmen in the area determined to build a town around the new railroad station. Upon division of the area into town lots and completion of all necessary legal procedures, the town of Lavonia was incorporated in 1880. The community was named after Lavonia Hammond Jones, the wife of a railroad official.
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 85
State Route 17
State Route 59
State Route 77 Connector
State Route 328
State Route 403 (unsigned designation for I-85)
Airports
- Broad River Air Park(3GE3), a private airport community featuring a 3000 ft runway parallel to Interstate 85.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 72 | — | |
| 1890 | 283 | 293.1% | |
| 1900 | 699 | 147.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,712 | 144.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,644 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 1,511 | −8.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,667 | 10.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,766 | 5.9% | |
| 1960 | 2,088 | 18.2% | |
| 1970 | 2,044 | −2.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,024 | −1.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,840 | −9.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,827 | −0.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,156 | 18.0% | |
| 2020 | 2,143 | −0.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,395 | 65.1% |
| Black or African American | 492 | 22.96% |
| Native American | 5 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 10 | 0.47% |
| Pacific Islander | 10 | 0.06% |
| Other/Mixed | 80 | 3.73% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 161 | 7.51% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 2,143 people, 1,029 households, and 676 families residing in the city.
Library
The Lavonia Carnegie Library is located in the city of Lavonia and named after philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Established in 1911, the one-story Renaissance Revival-style building is important as a local landmark and has continued to be used as a library throughout its history. Lavonia is the smallest city in the entire United States with an original Carnegie Library building.
Arts and culture
Sports
Lavonia is home to Lavonia Speedway, a 3/8-mile dirt oval. It is home to several different annual races such as the Buck Simmons Memorial, Rusty Jordan Memorial, and Charlie Mize Memorial. It also played host to an annual event with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series every single year from the years 2018 to 2021 as well as a one-off event in 2014 however after the event was rained out in 2022 they did not pick the date back up for 2023 and nothing has been announced for the future.
Notable people
- FPS Russia, YouTube personality
- Ernest Vandiver, former mayor of Lavonia and governor of Georgia from 1959 to 1963
- Omer Clyde "O.C." Aderhold, former president of the University of Georgia during racial integration
See also
In Spanish: Lavonia para niños
