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{{Short description|City in the United States}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}{{Infobox settlement
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|government_type =
|leader_title = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name = LarryR. GuestDaniel Graves
|leader_title1 = City Manager
|leader_name1 = LanierKevin DunnEavenson (interim)
|leader_title2 =
|leader_name2 =
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}}
'''Elberton''' is the largest city in [[Elbert County, Georgia|Elbert County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States. The population was 4,653 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1326616| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Elberton city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=January 26, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213081959/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1326616| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> The city is the [[county seat]] of [[Elbert County, Georgia|Elbert County]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712220218/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2012-07-12 }}</ref>
 
Elberton is known as the "[[Granite]]granite Capitalcapital of the Worldworld".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egaonline.com/home/industry/elberton.shtml |title=Elberton Granite Association |access-date=2007-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012142804/http://egaonline.com/home/industry/elberton.shtml |archive-date=2007-10-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
==History==
Settled in the 1780s, Elbert was designated seat of the newly formed Elbert County in 1790. It was incorporated as a town in 1803 and as a city in 1896.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA229 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | access-date=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=229| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/d.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=71 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> Like Elbert County, Elberton is named for [[Samuel Elbert]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n114 116]}}</ref>
 
Elberton is known as the "[[Granite]] Capital of the World".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egaonline.com/home/industry/elberton.shtml |title=Elberton Granite Association |access-date=2007-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012142804/http://egaonline.com/home/industry/elberton.shtml |archive-date=2007-10-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
==Geography==
Elberton is located near the center of Elbert County.
Elberton is located near the center of Elbert County at {{coord|34|6|35|N|82|51|56|W|type:city}} (34.109628, -82.865669).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> State Routes [[Georgia State Route 17|17]] and [[Georgia State Route 72|72]] pass east–west through the center of town as College Avenue, while [[Georgia State Route 77|77]] crosses north–south on Oliver Street. GA 17 leads northwest {{convert|19|mi}} to [[Royston, Georgia|Royston]] and southeast {{convert|29|mi}} to [[Washington, Georgia|Washington]], GA 72 leads east {{convert|15|mi}} to the [[South Carolina]] border at [[Richard B. Russell Lake]] on the [[Savannah River]] and west {{convert|35|mi}} to [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]], and GA 77 leads north {{convert|18|mi}} to [[Hartwell, Georgia|Hartwell]] and southwest {{convert|25|mi}} to [[Lexington, Georgia|Lexington]].
 
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Elberton has a total area of {{convert|12.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|12.3|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.1|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.72%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>
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|1940= 6188
|1950= 6772
|1960= 7107107
|1970= 6438
|1980= 5686
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|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
 
===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Elberton racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1326616&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-07|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
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|6.9%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States Censuscensus]], there were 4,640 people, 1,754 households, and 997 families residing in the city.
 
===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,743 people, 1,985 households, and 1,274 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,183.4 people per square mile (456.7 per km<sup>2</sup>). There were 2,265 housing units at an average density of 565.1 per square mile (218.1 per km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the city was 59.33% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 37.99% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.61% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.33% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.55% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] people of any race were 2.21% of the population.
 
There were 1,985 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 21.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.96.
 
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.4 males.
 
The median income for a household in the city was $23,246, and the median income for a family was $31,154. Males had a median income of $29,277 versus $19,470 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,486. About 21.3% of families and 24.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 34.3% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.
 
==Government==
Elberton operates under a [[council-manager]] form of government. In this style of government, the [[city manager]] is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city, the five-person elected council serves as a board of directors, and the [[mayor]] performs more ceremonial duties and presides over council meetings, although Elberton mayors have traditionally taken a more active role in running the city.
 
The City of Elberton operates Elberton Utilities, a comprehensive utility system which includes electric, gas, water, sewer, cable television, and internet services; Elberton Public Works, which provides solid waste and street cleaning services and operates the city's cemeteries; Main Street Elberton, which promotes development in the downtown area; and the Elbert Theatre, which reopened in 2001 after extensive renovations and now hosts numerous productions throughout the year. The city is the primary benefactor of the Development Authority of Elberton, Elbert County, and Bowman.
 
For over twenty years, Elberton has been the [[sister city]] of [[Mure, Kagawa]], [[Japan]]. Students have the opportunity each year to participate in an exchange program<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elberton-mure.com/ |title=Elberton - Mure-cho Sister City Alumni |website=www.elberton-mure.com |access-date=15 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903090301/http://www.elberton-mure.com/ |archive-date=3 September 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> sponsored by the two cities.
 
Elberton was named a Georgia City of Excellence by the Georgia Municipal Association in 2002. It received commendation as a Trendsetter by ''Georgia Trend Magazine'' in 2005. The city was selected to host the Georgia Literary Festival in 2005 due to the area's contributions to literature.
 
==Economy==
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===Granite===
Elberton claims the title "Granitegranite Capitalcapital of the Worldworld", although there are no statistics that qualify such a claim. The city's post-[[American Civil War|Civil War]] history has largely revolved around the industry, following the opening of the first commercial quarry and manufacturing plant by Dr. Nathaniel Long in 1889.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ouzts|first1=Clay|title='The Man Who Builded on a Rock Was Wise': The Genesis of Elberton's Granite Industry, 1882-1900|journal=Georgia Historical Quarterly|date=2002|volume=86|issue=4|page=587|url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9425699&site=eds-live&scope=site|access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref> As the industry grew in the early 1900s, so did Elberton's importance on the passenger and freight railroad lines, bringing many travelers and businessmen to the city and leading to its heyday.{{Citation needed|date=November 2007}}
 
Several granite monuments, including the now-destructed [[Georgia Guidestones]], are located in or near Elberton.
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Since 1950, Elberton has served as the headquarters of the [[Southeastern Power Administration]], a division of the [[United States Department of Energy]]. The authority markets power generated by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] across the southern United States. The authority recently moved from its downtown headquarters in the former Samuel Elbert Hotel to a new building on Athens Tech Drive on the western end of the city.
 
==Government==
===Nature's Harmony Farm===
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2024}}
Founded in 2008, [[Nature's Harmony Farm]] mainly produces poultry, eggs, meats, and [[farmstead cheese]]. The farm has received local, national, and international praise, receiving the 2012 gold medal in the Jersey World Cheese Championships in England and the 2014 Grand Champion status in the Flavor of Georgia Competition.
Elberton operates under a [[council-manager]] form of government. In this style of government, the [[city manager]] is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city, the five-person elected council serves as a board of directors, and the [[mayor]] performs more ceremonial duties and presides over council meetings, although Elberton mayors have traditionally taken a more active role in running the city.
 
The City of Elberton operates Elberton Utilities, a comprehensive utility system which includes electric, gas, water, sewer, cable television, and internet services.
 
The Elbert Theatre reopened in 2001 after extensive renovations.
 
==Education==
 
=== Elbert County School District ===
The city is served by the [[Elbert County School District]]. One learning center, one primary school, one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school are located within the city.<ref>[http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=652&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved June 8, 2010.</ref> The district has 194 full-time teachers and over 3,079 students.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Eads|first=Lena Groeger, Annie Waldman, David|title=Miseducation|url=https://projects.propublica.org/miseducation/district/1302010|access-date=2021-07-21|website=ProPublica|date=October 16, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> The school system is one of the county's largest employers.
 
===Private education===
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Elberton is in the [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]]-[[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]]-[[Asheville, North Carolina|Asheville]] [[television market]], though local cable and satellite providers also carry stations from the [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] market.
 
==Infrastructure==
==Transportation infrastructure==
[[File:The Seaboard Airline Depot in Elberton, (Elbert County) Georgia (image 3571).JPG|thumb|Elberton Depot]]
 
===HighwaysTransportation===
====Highways====
Highways in Elberton include:
* [[Georgia State Route 17]]
* [[Georgia State Route 72]]
* [[Georgia State Route 77]]
* [[Interstate 85]]
 
====Airports====
Georgia State Routes [[Georgia State Route 17|17]], [[Georgia State Route 72|72]], [[Georgia State Route 77|77]] and 77 Connector pass through the city. Heard, Oliver, Church, and McIntosh streets are the primary thoroughfares downtown while College Avenue and Elbert Street bypass the downtown area and serve as the major routes through the city.
 
[[Interstate 85]] exits for Elberton include exits 160 (State Routes [[Georgia State Route 51|51]]), 173 ([[Georgia State Route 17|17]]) and 177 ([[Georgia State Route 77|77]]), all {{convert|31|to|33|mi}} northwest of Elberton. The city can also be reached from [[Interstate 20]] via two exits - State Route 77 (exit 154), {{convert|53|mi}} southwest of the city, and [[U.S. Route 78]]/[[Georgia State Route 17|State Route 17]] (exit 172), {{convert|51|mi}} to the southeast.
 
State Route 72 connects Elberton with [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]] to the west and [[Greenwood, South Carolina]], to the east, while State Route 77 connects to [[Lexington, Georgia|Lexington]] and [[Hartwell, Georgia|Hartwell]]. State Route 17 stretches from the North Georgia mountains to the coast at [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]]. [[Georgia State Route 368|State Route 368]] begins just north of the city and links Elberton to [[Anderson, South Carolina]].
 
Plans for the proposed [[Interstate 3]] have the highway passing through Elberton.
 
===Airports===
 
Elberton and Elbert County are served locally by the Elbert County-Patz Field Airport, located just east of the city on State Route 72.
 
====Railroad====
[[Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport]] is located {{convert|110|mi}} west of Elberton, while [[Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport]] is located {{convert|75|mi}} to the northeast.
 
Regional air transportation is available in the nearby cities of [[Athens, Georgia]], and [[Anderson, South Carolina]].
 
===Railroad===
 
For many years, Elberton was an important passenger and freight stop on the main line of the [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]]. The line is now operated by [[CSX Transportation]] and remains in use for freight transportation. A spur line connects Elberton to a main line of the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] (formerly [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]]).
 
===Healthcare===
Elbert Memorial Hospital, locatedfounded atin the corner of Laurel and Chestnut streets1950, has provided medical care to the Elberton region since 1950<ref>[http://www.emhcare.com/getpage.php?name=chronological Then-[[GovernorHistory of Georgia|Governor]]Elbert [[HermanMemorial Talmadge]Hospital]</ref> presidedis overa the25-bed dedicationacute ofcare thecritical facility,access callinghospital itwith "oneemergency, ofsurgical, theand nation'srehabilitation finestfacilities."<ref>[http://www.emhcare.com/getpage.php?name=chronologicalfacilities HistoryEMH ofFacilities Elbert Memorial HospitalProposals]</ref> The hospital is accredited by the [[Joint Commission]].
 
Today, Elbert Memorial is a 25-bed acute care critical access hospital with emergency, surgical, and rehabilitation facilities, as well as a wellness center and cafeteria. The hospital is currently researching potential expansion opportunities, either through an extensive reworking of the current facility or by moving to a new location.<ref>[http://www.emhcare.com/getpage.php?name=facilities EMH Facilities Proposals]</ref>
 
Other nearby hospitals include [[Athens Regional Medical Center]] and [[St. Mary's Hospital (Athens, Georgia)|St. Mary's Hospital]] in [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]] and Anderson Area Medical Center (AnMed) in [[Anderson, South Carolina]].
 
==Notable people==
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* [[Brent Adams]], [[NFL]] [[Offensiveoffensive Linemanlineman]] for [[Atlanta Falcons]] and [[Los Angeles Rams]]
* [[Amos T. Akerman]], [[U.S. Attorney General]] under [[Ulysses S. Grant]], fought railroad corruption and the [[Ku Klux Klan]]
* [[William Wyatt Bibb]], appointed first [[governor of Alabama]], [[U.S. senator]], 1813–1816
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* [[Joseph Rucker Lamar]], former [[Supreme Court of the United States|United States Supreme Court]] justice
* [[Meriwether Lewis]], of the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]], lived in Elbert County
* [[Juanita Marsh]], third female judge in Georgia, 2020 [[Georgia Women of Achievement]] inductee<ref name="gwa-2020">{{cite web |title=Juanita Marsh |url=https://www.georgiawomen.org/marsh-juanita |website=Georgia Women of Achievement |access-date=31 January 2020 |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131062508/https://www.georgiawomen.org/marsh-juanita |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Arnall Patz]], discovered cause of blindness in premature infants and helped develop laser treatment of diabetic retinopathy<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-09-06|title=Hall of Fame: Arnall Patz, MD|url=http://www.aph.org/hall_fame/bios/patz.html|access-date=2020-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906011055/http://www.aph.org/hall_fame/bios/patz.html|archive-date=September 6, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Charles Tait (politician)|Charles Tait]], [[U.S. senator]], 1809–1819
* Otha Thornton, White House Communications Agency J1 director and presidential communications officer (Bush and Obama administrations), 2013 Ebony Power 100, 53rd National Parent Teacher Association president and chairman of the board, and 2018 state Democratic nominee for state school superintendent
* [[Wiley Thompson]], U.S. congressman and Indian agent, oversaw removal of [[Seminole]]s from Florida ([[Second Seminole War]])
* [[Daniel Tucker (minister)|Daniel Tucker]], preacher, possible subject of "[[Old Dan Tucker]]" song
* [[Chester Willis]], former [[National Football League|NFL]] [[halfback (American football)|halfback]]
*Chester Webb, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chester Webb Named to Georgia Sports Hall of Fame|url=https://gseagles.com/news/2013/9/25/MBB_0925130540.aspx|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Georgia Southern University Athletics|language=en}}</ref>
 
==Sister cities==
Elberton has a [[sister cities|sister city]], [[Mure, Kagawa]], Japan, as designated by [[Sister Cities International]], Inc. (SCI):<ref>[http://www.cityofelberton.net/sistercity/index.htm Elberton's Sister City Program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901000045/http://www.cityofelberton.net/sistercity/index.htm |date=September 1, 2010 }}, Retrieved June 26, 2010.</ref>
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Mure, Kagawa|Mure, Japan]] (1983)
 
The program sends and receives high school students and chaperones each year. They stay in Elbert County with host families for two weeks. Many long-term relationships have formed between the two cities. The thriving program celebrated its 35th year in 2017.
 
==See also==
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* [http://www.cityofelberton.net City of Elberton official website]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Elberton-Georgia.html Elberton] at City-Data.com
* [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1169 New Georgia Encyclopedia: Granite] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628140032/http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-1169 |date=June 28, 2006 }}
* [http://www.elberttheatre.org/ Elbert Theatre]
* [http://www.mainstreet-elberton.net/ Mainstreet Elberton]
* [http://www.egaonline.com/ Elberton Granite Association]
 
{{Elbert County, Georgia}}