Ball Ground, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Ball Ground is a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

 in Cherokee County
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...

, 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...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 1433 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...

.

Ball Ground is at the northernmost end of Georgia Interstate 575, north of Canton
Canton, Georgia
Canton is a city in and the county seat of Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 22,958.-Geography:Canton is located at ....

 at exit 20 on I-575, and ending seven miles (11 km) north at exit 27. The Cherokee County Airport
Cherokee County Airport (Georgia)
Cherokee County Airport is a county owned, public-use airport in Cherokee County, Georgia, United States. It is located six nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Canton, Georgia. The airport is adjacent to Interstate 575, about halfway between the city of Canton and the...

 is located between Ball Ground and Canton.

Geography

Ball Ground is located just north of Canton, Georgia and south of Nelson, Georgia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land. The city's elevation averages around 1100 feet (335.3 m) above sea level, ranging from just over 1000 feet (304.8 m) in the valleys to around 1200 feet (365.8 m) on several hilltops within the city.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

 of 2010, there were 1433 people, 601 households, and 532 families residing in the city. The population density
Population 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 589.1 people per square mile (227.3/km²). There were 601 housing units at an average density of 92.8 persons/km² (240.5 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 97.4% White, 0.7% African American, and 0.3% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 601 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% 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, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone whom was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 2.69.

In the city the population is spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 108.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,875, and the median income for a family was $51,429. Males had a median income of $39,125 versus $27,361 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 city was $18,147. About 6.7% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.

Average house value in Ball Ground area is $157,923.22. Average yearly wages paid by businesses in Ball Ground area is $31,227.00. Average number of people employed by businesses in Ball Ground area is 10.1.

History

Some records indicate Ball Ground was originally named Battle Ground on early maps. The town is located near fields that the Cherokee Indians used to play stick ball, a rough game similar to modern lacrosse. Local legend, as well as the Georgia Government's website http://ballground.georgia.gov/05/home/0,2230,8310629,00.html indicate that Ball Ground derives its name from the game played by the Cherokee Indians native to Cherokee County. The large fields and abundance of freshwater streams made Ball Ground an alluring place for the large gatherings of Native Americans because the ball game required large, flat fields, and there were plenty of natural resources to support large groups of people. When settlers entered the area, the streams and fields attracted farmers, who dammed up creeks to create numerous manmade ponds and lakes. Most ponds and lakes still exist today, and Ball Ground still has a predominantly agriculture-based economy.

Ball Ground, in the northern part of Cherokee County, Georgia, is a community of almost 1,000 residents. Two and one-half miles to the east of the town, near the confluence of Long-Swamp Creek and the Etowah River
Etowah River
The Etowah River is a waterway that rises northwest of Dahlonega, Georgia, north of Atlanta. Its name is the Cherokee version of the original Muskogee word Etalwa, which means a "trail crossing". On Matthew Carey's 1795 map the river was labeled "High Town River"...

, is the traditional site of the Battle of Taliwa
Battle of Taliwa
The Battle of Taliwa was fought in Ball Ground, Georgia in 1755. According to Cherokee folklore, it was mainly fought over land disputed between the Cherokees and Creek, with the Cherokees winning...

, the most decisive battle of the war between Cherokee and Creek Indians in the 18th century. Cherokee history tells that the conflict over territory was determined by a stickball game here. Before the railroad came through in 1882, the city was almost purely agricultural, consisting of two country stores and a few dwellings. After the railroad, the town grew as a result of the marble-working industry.

In the 21st century Ball Ground is growing as businesses and homeowners are pushing into the North Georgia mountains along the I-575 corridor. It boasts a number of new subdivisions and light industry.

On September 5, 2011, due to Tropical Storm Lee, an EF1 tornado caused damage throughout the city's business and residential areas. No deaths or serious injuries were reported. Striking much of Cherokee County, including Woodstock, Holly Springs and Canton, the storms struck a 24-Mile path. Electricity was restored after 2 days and residents continued clean-up for numerous days.

External links

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