Quitman is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Georgia, United States.[4] The population was 4,064 in 2020. The Quitman Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Quitman, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Quitman City Hall | |
 Logo | |
| Nickname: Georgia's Camellia City | |
 Location in Brooks County and the state of Georgia | |
| Coordinates: 30°47′5″N 83°33′39″W / 30.78472°N 83.56083°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Brooks |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Zinda Drew McDaniel |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.15 sq mi (10.74 km2) |
| • Land | 4.13 sq mi (10.69 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 190 ft (58 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 4,064 |
| • Density | 984.73/sq mi (380.18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 31643 |
| Area code | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-63224[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0321256[3] |
| Website | www |
Quitman was the home of James Pierpont, author of the song "Jingle Bells" (1857), and uncle of American financier J.P. Morgan. Pierpont was an organist for the First Presbyterian Church.[5] James' daughter, Lillie, was Quitman's first librarian in 1880.[6]
A local Quitman ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.[7]
It is called "Camellia City", as the tree grows in profusion around the area.
History
editQuitman was designated the county seat of the newly formed Brooks County in 1858. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1904.[8] As the county seat, it was the center of trading in the county, which was devoted to cotton plantations before and after the American Civil War. The community was named for John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican–American War.[9]
Geography
editQuitman is located in southern Georgia at 30°47′05″N 83°33′39″W / 30.784677°N 83.560747°W.[10] U.S. Routes 84 and 221 pass through the center of the city. US 84 leads west 121 miles to Dothan, Alabama, while US 221 leads south 24 miles (39 km) to Greenville, Florida, and 26 miles (42 km) to Interstate 10. US 84 and US 221 together lead east 15 miles (24 km) to Interstate 75 and 17 miles (27 km) to Valdosta.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Quitman has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.7 km2), of which 0.019 square miles (0.05 km2), or .50%, is water.[11]
Climate
editThe climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, Quitman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[12]
| Climate data for Quitman, Georgia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18 (64) |
19 (67) |
23 (73) |
27 (80) |
31 (87) |
33 (91) |
33 (92) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
27 (81) |
23 (73) |
18 (65) |
26 (79) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4 (40) |
6 (42) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
16 (61) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
19 (66) |
13 (56) |
8 (46) |
4 (40) |
13 (55) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 100 (4.1) |
110 (4.4) |
120 (4.6) |
91 (3.6) |
89 (3.5) |
140 (5.7) |
180 (6.9) |
150 (6) |
120 (4.6) |
64 (2.5) |
64 (2.5) |
94 (3.7) |
1,320 (51.9) |
| Source: Weatherbase [13] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 784 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,400 | 78.6% | |
| 1890 | 1,868 | 33.4% | |
| 1900 | 2,281 | 22.1% | |
| 1910 | 3,915 | 71.6% | |
| 1920 | 4,393 | 12.2% | |
| 1930 | 4,149 | −5.6% | |
| 1940 | 4,450 | 7.3% | |
| 1950 | 4,769 | 7.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,071 | 6.3% | |
| 1970 | 4,818 | −5.0% | |
| 1980 | 5,188 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 5,292 | 2.0% | |
| 2000 | 4,638 | −12.4% | |
| 2010 | 3,850 | −17.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,064 | 5.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 983 | 24.19% |
| Black or African American | 2,805 | 69.02% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.07% |
| Asian | 30 | 0.74% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 113 | 2.78% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 128 | 3.15% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,064 people, 1,476 households, and 836 families residing in the city.
Industry
editThe prevalent industries in Quitman are farming and automotive.
Education
editSchools for Quitman are Quitman Elementary School, Brooks County Middle School, and Brooks County High School.
Media
editRadio station WGOV-FM 96.7 is licensed to broadcast from Quitman. The Quitman Free Press, a weekly newspaper, is the official legal publication for Brooks County. It has been in operation since 1876.
Notable people
edit
- Nellie Weldon Cocroft - ragtime composer, born in Quitman
- Edna Cain Daniel, writer, journalist, long-time publisher of the Quitman Free Press
- Dana A. Dorsey - Banker, realtor, business executive, and philanthropist. Child of freed slaves.
- Henry L. Reaves - politician, farmer, and cattleman
- James Lord Pierpont - songwriter of Jingle Bells, church organist, taught at the Quitman Academy. Uncle of J.P. Morgan.
References
edit- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Jingle Bell history page
- ^ Polling, Dean (December 23, 2021). "Dashing through Valdosta's 'Jingle Bells'". Valdosta Daily Times. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, Loony Laws & Silly Statutes, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1994. ISBN 0-8069-0472-0
- ^ Paul T. Hellmann (November 1, 2004). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Taylor & Francis. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-203-99700-0.
- ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 183. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Quitman city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ^ Climate Summary for Quitman, Georgia
- ^ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on October 15, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
External links
edit
Media related to Quitman, Georgia at Wikimedia Commons