Newnan, Georgia

Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, 39 miles (63 km) south by west of Atlanta. In 1900, 3,654 people lived in Newnan, Georgia; in 1910, 5,548, and in 1940, 7,182. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 22,520 in 2004. The city is the county seat of Coweta County.

History

Newnan was first established as county seat of Coweta County (replacing the currently nonexistant town of Bullsboro) in 1828 and was named for North Carolinian General Daniel Newnan. Newnan quickly became a prosperous magnet for professionals such as lawyers and doctors, as well as various merchants. Much of Newnan's prosperity was due to the thriving cotton industry, which relied on slavery. Newnan was largely untouched by the American Civil War, and as a result is still home to much antebellum architecture. During the Atlanta Campaign, Confederate cavalry badly defeated Union forces at the nearby Battle of Brown's Mill. Newnan was where the infamous lynching, mutilation, burning, and dismemberment of Sam Hose took place in 1899. Newnan was also host to the trial in 1948 of wealthy landowner John Wallace, the first white man in the south to be condemned to death by the testimony of African Americans, two field hands who had witnessed the murder (the victim was a white sharecropper). These events were portrayed in the novel Murder in Coweta County. The film version starred Johnny Cash, Andy Griffith, and June Carter.

Geography

Newnan is located at (33.376411, -84.788648).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.9 km² (18.1 mi²). 46.4 km² (17.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.05%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,242 people, 5,939 households, and 3,973 families residing in the city. The population density was 349.9/km² (906.4/mi²). There were 6,464 housing units at an average density of 139.3/km² (360.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.08% White, 42.15% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.59% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.96% of the population.

There were 5,939 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 23.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,142, and the median income for a family was $43,243. Males had a median income of $36,786 versus $25,314 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,081. About 17.6% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.

Citizens of Note

Ellis Arnall, governor of Georgia (1943-1947)
Lewis Grizzard
Alan Jackson
Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II
Charles Wadsworth

External links

Newnan City website

The Soapy Smith Preservation Trust, Infamous badman born and raised in Newnan.