Ringgold, Georgia Facts for Kids

Ringgold is a city in and the county seat of Catoosa County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 3,414 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, Tennessee–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
- Tornado
Geography
- Topography
- Climate
Demographics
- 2020 census
Education
- Catoosa County Public Schools
Notable people
See also

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 Mexican–American War.

Ringgold is where 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 Civil War.

The Battle of Ringgold Gap took place 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.

The Whitman-Anderson House is located in Ringgold and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). From their house, the Whitman family watched the Battle of Ringgold Gap, during which William Whitman's general store was destroyed. After the Confederates evacuated Ringgold, General Grant requisitioned the Whitman's house as his headquarters. After General Grant moved on, General Sherman ordered the burning of the town of Ringgold, but spared the Whitman house, which remained in the Whitman family until 1902.

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.

Tornado

Houses in Ringgold destroyed by an EF4 tornado

On April 27, 2011, an EF4 tornado touched down in Ringgold and Catoosa County, leaving a path of destruction. The tornado killed twenty people along a 48 miles (77 km) path across Catoosa County and over the state line in Hamilton and Bradley counties. Eight died in Ringgold, including an entire family of four, and at least thirty others were injured. Many homes, businesses, and schools were damaged or destroyed.

Geography

Ringgold is located near the center of Catoosa County at 34°55′2″N 85°6′57″W / 34.91722°N 85.11583°W / 34.91722; -85.11583 (34.917170, -85.115698). U.S. Routes 41 and 76 pass through the center of town as Nashville Street, leading northwest 17 miles (27 km) to downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, and southeast 15 miles (24 km) to Dalton, Georgia. Interstate 75 passes through the southern part of the city with access from 348; the highway leads northwest to Chattanooga and southeast 101 miles (163 km) to Atlanta.

Ringgold, Georgia Exit

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.3 km²), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km²), or 0.11%, is water.

Topography

Ringgold is situated in the Valley and Ridge geologic province of the Appalachian Mountains, 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. Taylor Ridge runs through Ringgold; a gap in the ridge is located just east of the city center, with the part of the ridge running to the south called Taylors Ridge and to the north called White Oak Mountain. South 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.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	316	—
1880	436	38.0%
1890	465	6.7%
1900	437	−6.0%
1910	398	−8.9%
1920	472	18.6%
1930	684	44.9%
1940	882	28.9%
1950	1,192	35.1%
1960	1,311	10.0%
1970	1,381	5.3%
1980	1,882	36.3%
1990	1,675	−11.0%
2000	2,422	44.6%
2010	3,580	47.8%
2020	3,414	−4.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Ringgold racial composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	2,799	81.99%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	177	5.18%
Native American	14	0.41%
Asian	56	1.64%
Pacific Islander	6	0.18%
Other/Mixed	211	6.18%
Hispanic or Latino	151	4.42%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,414 people, 1,565 households, and 878 families residing in the city.

Education

Catoosa County Public Schools

The Catoosa County Public Schools educates students from pre-school to grade twelve. In the district, there are ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. The district has 606 full-time teachers and over 9,809 students.

In 1954 the Ringgold Elementary School was destroyed in a fire.

Notable people

Logan Baldwin, professional baseball player
Edgar William Brown Sr. (1859–1917) physician turned successful businessman in Texas lumber and oil industry, born in Ringgold
Austin Davis, professional football player, coach, born in Ringgold
David Dreyer, American politician
Stacey Evans, American politician
Randall Franks American film and TV actor, entertainer, author
Roy Hawes (1926–2017), professional baseball player, died in Ringgold
Dewayne Hill, American politician
Hugh Hill, (1879–1958), professional baseball player, born in Ringgold
Barbara Leigh (born 1946), actress, born in Ringgold
McCracken Poston, attorney, author, politician
O. Wayne Rollins (1912–1991), co-founder of Rollins, Inc.
Cole Wilcox, professional baseball player, Heritage High School alumnus

Ringgold, Georgia facts for kids

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