Augusta, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Augusta is a consolidated city
in the U.S. state
of Georgia
, located along the Savannah River
. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County
population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah
and Blythe
.
Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which as of 2010 had an estimated population of 556,877, making it both the second-largest city and the second-largest metro area in the state after Atlanta, as well as the 116th-largest city in the United States. Internationally, Augusta is best known for hosting The Masters Tournament each spring.
, who relied on the river for fish, water and transportation. The site of Augusta was used by Native Americans
as a place to cross the Savannah River, because of its location on the fall line
.
In 1735, two years after James Oglethorpe
founded Savannah
, he sent a detachment of troops to explore up the Savannah River. He gave them an order to build at the head of the navigable part of the river. The expedition was led by Noble Jones
, who created the settlement to provide a first line of defense
against the Spanish
and the French
. Oglethorpe named the town Augusta, in honor of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
, the Princess of Wales
, daughter-in-law of King George II of Great Britain
and mother of King George III of Great Britain. Augusta was the second state capital of Georgia from 1785 until 1795 (alternating for a period with Savannah, the first).
Augusta is located on the Georgia/South Carolina
border, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) east of Atlanta. The city is located at 33°28′12"N 81°58′30"W (33.470, −81.975).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the Augusta-Richmond County balance has a total area of 306.5 square miles (793.8 km²). 302.1 square miles (782.4 km²) of it is land and 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it (1.42%) is water.
Augusta is located about halfway up the Savannah River on the fall line, which creates a number of small falls on the river. The city marks the end of a navigable waterway for the river and the entry to the Georgia Piedmont
area.
The Clarks Hill Dam
is built on the fall line near Augusta, forming Clarks Hill Lake. Further downstream, near the border of Columbia County
, is the Stevens Creek Dam, which generates hydroelectric power. Further downstream is the Augusta Diversion Dam, which marks the beginning of the Augusta Canal
and channels Savannah River waters into the canal.
Snowfall is not nearly as common as in Atlanta, due largely to Augusta's elevation, with downtown Augusta being about 900 feet lower than downtown Atlanta. Still, snow flurries are typically seen annually. Freezing rain is also a threat in wintertime.
was 616.6 people per square mile (249.4/km²)(2000). There were 80,481 housing units at an average density of 266.4 per square mile (102.8/km²). The racial makeup of the balance was 50.37% Black or African American
, 44.91% White, 0.27% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races
, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 72,307 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples
living together, 20.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the balance the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the balance was $37,231, and the median income for a family was $45,372. Males had a median income of $32,008 versus $23,988 for females. The per capita income
for the balance was $19,558. About 13.2% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
, biotechnology
, and military
. Georgia Health Sciences University, the state's only public health sciences graduate university, employs over 7,000 people. Along with University Hospital
, the Medical District of Augusta employs over 25,000 people and has an economic impact of over $1.8 billion.
Along with Georgia Health Sciences University, the city's three largest employers include the Savannah River Site
(a Department of Energy
nuclear facility) and the U.S. Army Signal Center at Fort Gordon
. Despite layoffs from several companies during the U.S. economic recession and a relatively high state unemployment rate, the Augusta Community has experienced a decrease in bankruptcy filings and saw a slight decrease in the unemployment rate from late 2009 to March 2011. However, these unemployment numbers are misleading as Spring brings lower unemployment rates due to the Augusta Masters. While unemployment fell to a two year low of 8.3% in April 2011, unemployment rates have since risen back to 9.9% as of July 2011.
Companies that have facilities, headquarters or distribution centers in Augusta include CareSouth
, T-Mobile
, Solo Cup Company
, Automatic Data Processing
, International Paper
, NutraSweet, Teleperformance, Sitel Corporation, E-Z-GO, Elanco, Club Car (Worldwide Headquarters), John Deere, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg's and Delta Air Lines
baggage call center.
minor league baseball club. The team began play in 1988 as the Augusta Pirates, affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates
. Later affiliated with the Boston Red Sox
, the Greenjackets are with the San Francisco Giants
. The team is owned by Cal Ripken Jr.
The city's ECHL
hockey team, the Augusta Lynx
, disbanded in December 2008.
The Southern Professional Hockey League
would expand to Augusta starting in the 2010–2011 season. The Augusta Riverhawks was the winning name of the new team, the result of a "Name the Team" contest announced on March 13, 2010.
The Augusta Rugby Football Club (ARFC) is a division 2 men's club competing in the Palmetto Rugby Union, part of the USA Rugby South Conference.
Augusta also has its own all female flat track roller derby
team, The Soul City Sirens. Founded in 2008, this league is all volunteer and skater owned.
The city’s famous golf
course, the Augusta National Golf Club
, hosts the first major golf tournament of each year, The Masters. This tournament is one of the most prestigious in the sport and is one of the four major championships
. The best professional and amateur golfers in the world come to Augusta during the first full week of April every year. The grounds of Augusta National are known for being pristine, and the course was ranked in 2009 as the 3rd best golf course in the world by Golf Magazine.
The city also has disc golf
facilities. The Augusta Top Gun Series is a series of tournaments sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association
. These tournaments are held at various venues in Augusta, including Pendleton King Park and Lake Olmstead. Also, Augusta hosted the 2006 Professional Disc Golf World Championships. Along with Pendleton King and Lake Olmstead, two courses in N. Augusta, SC were used for the tournament. 299 disc golfers from around the world attended the event, with Ken Climo
winning the tournament and his 12th world championship.
Augusta is the host of the World's Richest Drag Boat Race, held on the Savannah River (Augusta Southern Nationals). The race is part of the IHBA Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series and is sanctioned by the International Hot Boat Association (held on July 18–20). The event benefits the Augusta Chapter of the Georgia Special Olympics. Over 100 racing teams from 25 states will compete for $140,000 in purse and prizes as they try to beat the record of 252.94 MPH in the ‘World’s Richest Drag Boat Race”.
voted to consolidate
their city and county governments. Citizens of Hephzibah
and Blythe
, also located in Richmond County, voted against joining in the consolidation of Augusta and Richmond County. Augusta and Richmond County's consolidation took effect January 1, 1996. The consolidated government consists of a mayor and 10 commissioner
s. Eight commissioners represent specific districts, while the other two represent super districts that represent half of the county's population respectively.
Public K-12
schools in Augusta are managed by the Richmond County School System. The system has eight high schools, 10 middle schools, 36 elementary schools, and four magnet schools, — including C. T. Walker Traditional Magnet School
, A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School
, and Davidson Fine Arts
.
Private schools in Augusta include Aquinas High School
, Episcopal Day School, St. Mary on the Hill School, Immaculate Conception School, Curtis Baptist High School
, Gracewood Baptist First Academy, Alleluia Community School, New Life Christian Academy, and Westminster Schools of Augusta
. Augusta Christian School, Augusta First Seventh-day Adventist School, and Augusta Preparatory Day School
serve Augusta, but are located in neighboring Martinez, Georgia
.
, to the east by Interstate 20
. Interstate 520
(Bobby Jones Expressway) runs from I-20 Exit 196 through Augusta's western and southern suburban areas, eventually crossing the Savannah River to South Carolina where it becomes the Palmetto Parkway.
U.S. and state routes:
Parts of Augusta are served by city transit service Augusta Public Transit
(APT), but the main mode of transportation within the city is by car. The city has two airports: Augusta Regional Airport
and Daniel Field Airport
. Augusta is also served by a number of taxi companies.
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, located along the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County
Richmond County, Georgia
Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2010, the population was 200,549. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 199,486....
population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah
Hephzibah, Georgia
Hephzibah is a city in south Richmond County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta – Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,880 at the 2000 census....
and Blythe
Blythe, Georgia
Blythe is a city in Burke and Richmond Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 718 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.-Geography:Blythe is located at ....
.
Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area
Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area
The Augusta–Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of six counties in the Central Savannah River Area , anchored by the city of Augusta, Georgia...
, which as of 2010 had an estimated population of 556,877, making it both the second-largest city and the second-largest metro area in the state after Atlanta, as well as the 116th-largest city in the United States. Internationally, Augusta is best known for hosting The Masters Tournament each spring.
History
The area along the river was long inhabited by varying cultures of indigenous peoplesSoutheastern tribes
Southeastern Woodlands peoples or Southeastern cultures are an ethnographic classification for Indigenous peoples that have traditionally inhabited the Southeastern United States and the northeastern border of Mexico, that share common cultural traits....
, who relied on the river for fish, water and transportation. The site of Augusta was used by Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
as a place to cross the Savannah River, because of its location on the fall line
Atlantic Seaboard fall line
The Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line, or Fall Zone, is a escarpment where the Piedmont and Atlantic coastal plain meet in the eastern United States...
.
In 1735, two years after James Oglethorpe
James Oglethorpe
James Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...
founded Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, he sent a detachment of troops to explore up the Savannah River. He gave them an order to build at the head of the navigable part of the river. The expedition was led by Noble Jones
Noble Jones
Noble Wimberly Jones was an American physician and statesman from Savannah, Georgia. A leading Georgia patriot in the American Revolution, he served as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1781 and 1782....
, who created the settlement to provide a first line of defense
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
against the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Oglethorpe named the town Augusta, in honor of Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha
Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was Princess of Wales between 1736 and 1751, and Dowager Princess of Wales thereafter. She was one of only three Princesses of Wales who never became queen consort...
, the Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales
Princess of Wales is a British courtesy title held by the wife of The Prince of Wales since the first "English" Prince of Wales in 1283.Although there have been considerably more than ten male heirs to the throne, there have been only ten Princesses of Wales. The majority of Princes of Wales...
, daughter-in-law of King George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
and mother of King George III of Great Britain. Augusta was the second state capital of Georgia from 1785 until 1795 (alternating for a period with Savannah, the first).
Geography
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
border, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) east of Atlanta. The city is located at 33°28′12"N 81°58′30"W (33.470, −81.975).
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the Augusta-Richmond County balance has a total area of 306.5 square miles (793.8 km²). 302.1 square miles (782.4 km²) of it is land and 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it (1.42%) is water.
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
area.
The Clarks Hill Dam
J. Strom Thurmond Dam
J. Strom Thurmond Dam, also known in Georgia as Clarks Hill Dam, is a concrete-gravity and embankment dam located north of Augusta, Georgia on the Savannah River at the border of South Carolina and Georgia, creating Lake Strom Thurmond. The dam was built by the U.S...
is built on the fall line near Augusta, forming Clarks Hill Lake. Further downstream, near the border of Columbia County
Columbia County, Georgia
Columbia County is a county located in the US state of Georgia along the Savannah River. As of 2010 the population was 124,054 a growth of 39% from the 2000 census figure of 89,288. The de jure county seat is Appling. Appling is an unincorporated area, making Columbia one of only three counties...
, is the Stevens Creek Dam, which generates hydroelectric power. Further downstream is the Augusta Diversion Dam, which marks the beginning of the Augusta Canal
Augusta Canal
The Augusta Canal is a historic canal located in Augusta, Georgia. The canal connects two points of the Savannah River. It was devised to harness the power of the fall line of the Savannah River for mills, to provide transportation of goods, and to provide drinking water for the city...
and channels Savannah River waters into the canal.
Climate
According to Köppen classification, Augusta has a humid subtropical climate. The city experiences super cold, short winters and an extremely humid summer. The average high temperature for the summer months is 90.6 °F (32.6 °C). Summer daytime temperatures can soar to 100 or above. The average low temperature is 67.8 °F (19.9 °C). The average high temperature for the winter months is 58.9 °F (14.9 °C); the average low temperature is 34.4 °F (1.3 °C).Snowfall is not nearly as common as in Atlanta, due largely to Augusta's elevation, with downtown Augusta being about 900 feet lower than downtown Atlanta. Still, snow flurries are typically seen annually. Freezing rain is also a threat in wintertime.
Demographics
In the official 2010 census, Augusta–Richmond County has 195,844 residents. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 616.6 people per square mile (249.4/km²)(2000). There were 80,481 housing units at an average density of 266.4 per square mile (102.8/km²). The racial makeup of the balance was 50.37% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 44.91% White, 0.27% Native American, 1.52% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 72,307 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 20.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the balance the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the balance was $37,231, and the median income for a family was $45,372. Males had a median income of $32,008 versus $23,988 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the balance was $19,558. About 13.2% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Augusta is a regional center of medicineMedicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
, and military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
. Georgia Health Sciences University, the state's only public health sciences graduate university, employs over 7,000 people. Along with University Hospital
University Hospital (Augusta)
University Hospital is a non-profit 581-bed community hospital located in downtown Augusta, Georgia. It was established in 1818, making it the second-oldest hospital in Georgia....
, the Medical District of Augusta employs over 25,000 people and has an economic impact of over $1.8 billion.
Along with Georgia Health Sciences University, the city's three largest employers include the Savannah River Site
Savannah River Site
The Savannah River Site is a nuclear reservation in the United States in the state of South Carolina, located on land in Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell Counties adjacent to the Savannah River, southeast of Augusta, Georgia. The site was built during the 1950s to refine nuclear materials for...
(a Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
nuclear facility) and the U.S. Army Signal Center at Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
. Despite layoffs from several companies during the U.S. economic recession and a relatively high state unemployment rate, the Augusta Community has experienced a decrease in bankruptcy filings and saw a slight decrease in the unemployment rate from late 2009 to March 2011. However, these unemployment numbers are misleading as Spring brings lower unemployment rates due to the Augusta Masters. While unemployment fell to a two year low of 8.3% in April 2011, unemployment rates have since risen back to 9.9% as of July 2011.
Companies that have facilities, headquarters or distribution centers in Augusta include CareSouth
CareSouth
CareSouth Health System Inc., also known as CareSouth Homecare Professionals or CareSouth, is a private American healthcare company that provides a range of home care services. It is one of the largest providers of home health care service in the country.-History:CareSouth was founded on November...
, T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
, Solo Cup Company
Solo Cup Company
Solo Cup Company is a manufacturer of consumer packaging products: disposable beverage cups, disposable plates and bowls. Solo Cup Company is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, and in 2006 had sales of $2.4 billion.-History:...
, Automatic Data Processing
Automatic Data Processing
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. Automatic Data Processing, Inc. with about $10 billion in revenues and approximately 545,000 clients, is a provider of business outsourcing solutions. ADP offers a range of human resource, payroll, tax and benefits administration solutions...
, International Paper
International Paper
International Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...
, NutraSweet, Teleperformance, Sitel Corporation, E-Z-GO, Elanco, Club Car (Worldwide Headquarters), John Deere, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg's and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
baggage call center.
Teams
Augusta is home to the Augusta GreenjacketsAugusta GreenJackets
The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988...
minor league baseball club. The team began play in 1988 as the Augusta Pirates, affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. Later affiliated with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, the Greenjackets are with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. The team is owned by Cal Ripken Jr.
The city's ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
hockey team, the Augusta Lynx
Augusta Lynx
The Augusta Lynx were a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Augusta, Georgia. The Lynx played their home games at the James Brown Arena...
, disbanded in December 2008.
The Southern Professional Hockey League
Southern Professional Hockey League
The Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :...
would expand to Augusta starting in the 2010–2011 season. The Augusta Riverhawks was the winning name of the new team, the result of a "Name the Team" contest announced on March 13, 2010.
The Augusta Rugby Football Club (ARFC) is a division 2 men's club competing in the Palmetto Rugby Union, part of the USA Rugby South Conference.
Augusta also has its own all female flat track roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
team, The Soul City Sirens. Founded in 2008, this league is all volunteer and skater owned.
| Club | Sport | League | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta GreenJackets Augusta GreenJackets The Augusta GreenJackets are a minor league baseball team that plays in Augusta, Georgia, as a Class A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Lake Olmstead Stadium has been the home of the GreenJackets since the 1995 season, although Augusta has fielded a team in the South Atlantic League since 1988... |
Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond... |
South Atlantic League South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States... |
Lake Olmstead Stadium Lake Olmstead Stadium Lake Olmstead Stadium is a stadium in Augusta, Georgia, USA. It was built in 1995 and can hold 4,400 people. The stadium also serves as an outdoor-arena style event venue.... |
| Augusta Riverhawks | Ice Hockey Ice hockey Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take... |
Southern Professional Hockey League Southern Professional Hockey League The Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :... |
James Brown Arena James Brown Arena The James Brown Arena is a multi-purpose complex, in Augusta, Georgia.It features an 8,500 seat arena, renamed the James Brown Arena, in honor of musician James Brown on August 22, 2006... |
| Augusta Mad Dogs | Rugby Rugby football Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:... |
Palmetto Rugby Union | Larry Bray Memorial |
| Soul City Sirens | Roller Derby Roller derby Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team... |
Red Wing Rollerway |
Tournaments
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course, the Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
, hosts the first major golf tournament of each year, The Masters. This tournament is one of the most prestigious in the sport and is one of the four major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
. The best professional and amateur golfers in the world come to Augusta during the first full week of April every year. The grounds of Augusta National are known for being pristine, and the course was ranked in 2009 as the 3rd best golf course in the world by Golf Magazine.
The city also has disc golf
Disc golf
Disc golf is a disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc into a basket or at a target. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, "The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc." Of the more than 3000...
facilities. The Augusta Top Gun Series is a series of tournaments sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association
Professional Disc Golf Association
The Professional Disc Golf Association is a membership organization dedicated to the promotion and sustainable growth ofdisc golf...
. These tournaments are held at various venues in Augusta, including Pendleton King Park and Lake Olmstead. Also, Augusta hosted the 2006 Professional Disc Golf World Championships. Along with Pendleton King and Lake Olmstead, two courses in N. Augusta, SC were used for the tournament. 299 disc golfers from around the world attended the event, with Ken Climo
Ken Climo
Ken "The Champ" Climo, from Clearwater, Florida, is a professional disc golfer and is unanimously considered the best player to have ever played the game. Climo has claimed Twelve PDGA World Championship titles, including nine in as many years from 1990 to 1998...
winning the tournament and his 12th world championship.
Augusta is the host of the World's Richest Drag Boat Race, held on the Savannah River (Augusta Southern Nationals). The race is part of the IHBA Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series and is sanctioned by the International Hot Boat Association (held on July 18–20). The event benefits the Augusta Chapter of the Georgia Special Olympics. Over 100 racing teams from 25 states will compete for $140,000 in purse and prizes as they try to beat the record of 252.94 MPH in the ‘World’s Richest Drag Boat Race”.
Parks and recreation
- Riverwalk AugustaRiverwalk AugustaRiverwalk Augusta is a city park along the Savannah River in Augusta, Georgia . The park is alongside and on top of Augusta's levee. Sites along the Riverwalk include St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Fort Discovery, and the Morris Museum of Art.-External links:* - Augusta Riverwalk Information* —...
— riverfront park along and on top of city's levee - Augusta Common — green space linking Broad St. to Reynolds St., with statue of James OglethorpeJames OglethorpeJames Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...
- Augusta CanalAugusta CanalThe Augusta Canal is a historic canal located in Augusta, Georgia. The canal connects two points of the Savannah River. It was devised to harness the power of the fall line of the Savannah River for mills, to provide transportation of goods, and to provide drinking water for the city...
— historic canal with bike/pedestrian path - Aqueduct Park — lagoon converted into park and swimming site by volunteers
- Phinizy Swamp Nature ParkPhinizy Swamp Nature ParkPhinizy Swamp Nature Park is a nature park in Augusta, Georgia. The park contains wetlands and woodlands and has a campus for education on wildlife, which includes a visitor center. It has many bald cypresses draped in Spanish moss and forests of Loblolly and Longleaf Pine trees...
— wetlands park with pedestrian/bike paths and boardwalks - Diamond Lakes Regional Park — park in south Richmond County
- Brookfield Park — public park featuring a playground, putting green, pedestrian/bike path, and a fountain in which children can play
- The Lady Antebellum Pavillion — A performance area in Evan's Town Center Park, officially dedicated to Lady AntebellumLady AntebellumLady Antebellum is an American country pop music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The trio is composed of Charles Kelley , Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott .The group made its debut in 2007 as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman's single "Never Alone", before signing to Capitol...
on 10/28/2011
Government
In 1995, citizens of Augusta and unincorporated Richmond CountyRichmond County, Georgia
Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2010, the population was 200,549. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 199,486....
voted to consolidate
Consolidated city-county
In United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
their city and county governments. Citizens of Hephzibah
Hephzibah, Georgia
Hephzibah is a city in south Richmond County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta – Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,880 at the 2000 census....
and Blythe
Blythe, Georgia
Blythe is a city in Burke and Richmond Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 718 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.-Geography:Blythe is located at ....
, also located in Richmond County, voted against joining in the consolidation of Augusta and Richmond County. Augusta and Richmond County's consolidation took effect January 1, 1996. The consolidated government consists of a mayor and 10 commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
s. Eight commissioners represent specific districts, while the other two represent super districts that represent half of the county's population respectively.
Education
Colleges and universities
- Augusta State UniversityAugusta State UniversityAugusta State University is a public university located in Augusta, Georgia, United States and is the oldest institution in the state of Georgia ....
(state university) - Augusta Technical College (state technical college)
- Cambridge CollegeCambridge CollegeCambridge College is a private, non-profit college based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in adult education.It offers distance learning and blended learning programs toward undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, counseling, psychology, management, health care management, and...
(private non-profit college) - Georgia Health Sciences University (state university)
- Paine CollegePaine CollegePaine College is a private Historically Black college located in Augusta, Georgia.-Mission:The Mission of Paine College, a church-related private institution, is to provide a liberal arts education of the highest quality that emphasizes academic excellence, ethical and spiritual values, social...
(private, Methodist historically black college) - Georgia Military CollegeGeorgia Military CollegeGeorgia Military College is a United States Military Junior College, high school, and middle school in Milledgeville, Georgia. GMC is one of five military junior colleges that participates in the Army's Early Commissioning Program. Cadets who graduate from GMC's two-year, military science-oriented...
(public-independent liberal arts junior college)
K-12 schools
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
schools in Augusta are managed by the Richmond County School System. The system has eight high schools, 10 middle schools, 36 elementary schools, and four magnet schools, — including C. T. Walker Traditional Magnet School
C. T. Walker Traditional Magnet School
Charles Thomas Walker Traditional Magnet School is a public examination school located in the Laney-Walker district of Augusta, Georgia that draws students from kindergarten through eighth grade from all parts of the Richmond County School System...
, A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School
A. R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School
Augustus R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet Middle and High School is a public six-year magnet school in downtown Augusta, Georgia, drawing students from grades seven through twelve from all parts of Richmond County.-Academics:A. R...
, and Davidson Fine Arts
John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School
John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School is a public magnet school for the fine and performing arts located in downtown Augusta, Georgia, USA. It draws students in grades 6 through 12 throughout Richmond County...
.
Private schools in Augusta include Aquinas High School
Aquinas High School (Augusta, Georgia)
Aquinas High School is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic high school located in midtown Augusta, Georgia. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Georgia High School Association, and the National Catholic Educational...
, Episcopal Day School, St. Mary on the Hill School, Immaculate Conception School, Curtis Baptist High School
Curtis Baptist High School
Curtis Baptist School is a 1-A high school located in Augusta, Georgia. Curtis Baptist is a private school that has more than 300 students in the elementary, middle, and high school combined...
, Gracewood Baptist First Academy, Alleluia Community School, New Life Christian Academy, and Westminster Schools of Augusta
Westminster Schools of Augusta
Westminster Schools of Augusta was founded in 1972 as a private, Christian college-preparatory school located in Augusta, Georgia. The school serves 595 students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade...
. Augusta Christian School, Augusta First Seventh-day Adventist School, and Augusta Preparatory Day School
Augusta Preparatory Day School
Augusta Preparatory Day School is a non-sectarian private school in Martinez, Georgia.It accepts students from Preschool through Twelfth Grade.-APDS:...
serve Augusta, but are located in neighboring Martinez, Georgia
Martinez, Georgia
Martinez is a census-designated place in Columbia County, Georgia, United States. It is an affluent suburb of Augusta, Georgia and is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area...
.
Transportation
Augusta is linked to Atlanta to the west and Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, to the east by Interstate 20
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
. Interstate 520
Interstate 520
Interstate 520 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway that encircles Augusta, Georgia and North Augusta, South Carolina as a three quarter beltway around the western, southern and eastern parts of the Augusta area. It begins at Interstate 20 in the northwest part of Augusta, and ends at Interstate 20...
(Bobby Jones Expressway) runs from I-20 Exit 196 through Augusta's western and southern suburban areas, eventually crossing the Savannah River to South Carolina where it becomes the Palmetto Parkway.
U.S. and state routes:
Interstate 20Interstate 20Interstate 20 is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I‑20 runs 1,535 miles from near Kent, Texas, at Interstate 10 to Florence, South Carolina, at Interstate 95...
(I-20)
Interstate 520Interstate 520Interstate 520 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway that encircles Augusta, Georgia and North Augusta, South Carolina as a three quarter beltway around the western, southern and eastern parts of the Augusta area. It begins at Interstate 20 in the northwest part of Augusta, and ends at Interstate 20...
(I-520) — Bobby JonesBobby Jones (golfer)Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer, and a lawyer by profession. Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete on a national and international level...
Expressway
U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
— Deans Bridge Road (from Jefferson County line to Gordon Highway), Gordon Highway (from Deans Bridge Road to state line)
U.S. Route 25U.S. Route 25U.S. Route 25 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Brunswick, Georgia to the Ohio state line in Covington, Kentucky.-Georgia:...
— Peach Orchard Road (entire length), Gordon Highway (from Peach Orchard Road to state line)
U.S. Route 78U.S. Route 78U.S. Highway 78 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 715 miles from Memphis, Tennessee, to Charleston, South Carolina. Between Memphis and Birmingham, Alabama, it is being upgraded to become Interstate 22....
/
U.S. Route 278U.S. Route 278U.S. Route 278 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 78. It currently runs for 1,074 miles from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina to Wickes, Arkansas at U.S. Highway 71/U.S. Highway 59. It might be notable that it is longer than its parent highway, US Hwy-78. US Hwy-278 passes through the states of...
/
State Route 10Georgia State Route 10Georgia state route 10 begins at the Downtown Connector in Atlanta and ends at the South Carolina state line in Augusta, Georgia. The western end of Georgia 10 travels along Freedom Parkway, which bypasses the Carter Center to the west....
— Gordon Highway
State Route 4 — follows U.S. Highway 1 from Jefferson County line to Gordon Highway, leaves Georgia at 13th Street bridge
State Route 28Georgia State Route 28State Route 28 is the Georgia segments of a multi-state Route 28 that runs from southwestern Aiken County, South Carolina northwestward to northern Graham County, North Carolina. The route has two segments in Georgia totalling .-Southern segment:...
— various roads, including John C. CalhounJohn C. CalhounJohn Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...
Expressway and Washington Road
State Route 56Georgia State Route 56State Route 56 is a north–south state route located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from U.S. Route 280/State Route 30 in Reidsville to U.S. Route 25/State Route 121 in Augusta.-Route description:...
— Mike Padgett Highway
State Route 88Georgia State Route 88State Route 88 is a north-south state route located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from U.S. Route 25 in Hephzibah to State Route 24 in Sandersville....
in south Richmond County
State Route 104Georgia State Route 104Georgia State Route 104 is a spur route of its parent, GA 4. It is more commonly referred to as both River Watch Parkway and Washington Road in the Augusta, Georgia area.-Routing:...
— River Watch Parkway
State Route 232Georgia State Route 232State Route 232 is a west–east state route located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. From the route's western terminus at U.S. Route 221/State Route 47 south of Appling, the route runs east to intersect with Georgia State Route 383 and then with State Route 104 in Martinez...
— Bobby Jones Expressway west of I-20
State Route 383 — Jimmie Dyess Parkway
State Route 540 (Fall Line FreewayFall Line FreewayThe Fall Line Freeway is a highway currently being constructed that will run the width of the state of Georgia from Columbus to Augusta, passing through several cities including Macon and Milledgeville. It will be designated State Route 540 upon completion, and it will be a four-lane divided...
) — Deans Bridge Road from I-520 to Jefferson County line
State Route 555 (Savannah River ParkwaySavannah River ParkwayThe Savannah River Parkway, also known as State Route 555 and State Route 565, are two roadways that parallel the Savannah River from Savannah to Augusta. The parkway proceeds southward from Augusta to Millen, where it diverges. The west branch follows U.S. Route 25 to Statesboro, and then...
) — Peach Orchard Road from I-520 to Burke County line
Parts of Augusta are served by city transit service Augusta Public Transit
Augusta Public Transit
Augusta Public Transit is the primary provider of mass transportation in Richmond County, Georgia. Buses run along nine local routes from Monday through Saturday. Average daily ridership is about 3,000 passengers...
(APT), but the main mode of transportation within the city is by car. The city has two airports: Augusta Regional Airport
Augusta Regional Airport
Augusta Regional Airport , also known as Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field, is a city-owned, public-use airport located six nautical miles south of the central business district of Augusta, a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States.In 2000, Bush Field airport changed its name to...
and Daniel Field Airport
Daniel Field Airport
Daniel Field is a public-use airport located one nautical mile west of the central business district of Augusta, a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. It is owned and operated by the City of Augusta.-Facilities and aircraft:...
. Augusta is also served by a number of taxi companies.
See also
- Arts and culture in Augusta, GeorgiaArts and culture in Augusta, GeorgiaThe culture of Augusta, Georgia is influenced by the many different perspectives and histories of its community members, as well as its own history. The large African American population of the area as well as the city's rural surroundings have affected the types of festivals and culture produced...
- List of mayors of Augusta, Georgia
- List of people from Augusta, Georgia
- Media in Augusta, GeorgiaMedia in Augusta, GeorgiaMedia outlets in the Augusta, Georgia market include eight television stations, 24 FM radio stations, nine AM radio stations, one Internet Radio station and numerous print media.-Television:...
- Medical District (Augusta)
- Old Government House (Augusta)
- Summerville (Augusta)
- List of tallest buildings in Augusta