Lumpkin, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Lumpkin is a city in, and the county seat
of, Stewart County
, Georgia
, United States
. The population was 1,369 at the 2000 census.
for thousands of years before European contact. Historical tribes who encountered European Americans as their settlements encroached on traditional territory included Cherokee
, Choctaw
and Creek. During the Indian Removal
of 1830, such tribes were moved west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory, to make way for European American settlement.
Lumpkin was incorporated by European Americans on March 30, 1829. It was formerly the seat of Randolph County
, but became the seat of Stewart County when it split from Randolph in 1830. The city was named in honor of Wilson Lumpkin
, a two-term governor of Georgia and legislator who supported Indian Removal
. His namesake county is at the eastern end of the state.
The town grew as a commercial center, served by stagecoach. Its merchants traded with the planters in the area. This was part of the Black Belt of Georgia, named for the fertile land that supported extensive cotton
plantations in the 19th century. Planters depended on the labor of thousands of enslaved
African Americans before the Civil War
to cultivate and process the cotton for market.
After the war, many freedmen stayed in the area as sharecroppers and tenant farmers, and the economy continued to depend on agriculture. With land erosion, cotton farming gave way to peanut and pine tree cultivation. While the population of the county steadily decreased with the Great Migration
of blacks to the North
and Midwest in the early decades of the 20th century, that of Lumpkin remained relatively stable. The county is still quite rural.
Lumpkin was the first small town in Georgia to complete a successful historic preservation
project to encourage tourism
, with the restoration of the Bedingfield Inn, built in 1836. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and is important to the central square.
In the 1960s, a group of citizens created a living history
complex known as Westville. They relocated 30 historic structures to create a grouping of western Georgia architecture as would be found in an 1850s working village. Some of the buildings were purchased from the collection of John Word West established in 1928 in Jonesboro, Georgia
. The village is staffed by volunteers to give the sense of daily life.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.25%) is water.
holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 58 full-time teachers and over 704 students.
of 2000, there were 1,369 people, 552 households, and 367 families residing in the city. The population density
was 862.2 people per square mile (332.4/km²). There were 621 housing units at an average density of 391.1 per square mile (150.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.42% African American, 28.85% White, 0.29% Native American, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.
There were 552 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples
living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,315, and the median income for a family was $27,321. Males had a median income of $22,422 versus $20,250 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,146. About 24.2% of families and 26.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.7% of those under age 18 and 18.3% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of, Stewart County
Stewart County, Georgia
Stewart County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 23, 1830. The 2010 Census reflected a population of 6,058. The 2009 Census Estimate shows a population of 4,558. The county seat is Lumpkin.-History:...
, 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 1,369 at the 2000 census.
History
This area of Georgia was inhabited by indigenous Native AmericansIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
for thousands of years before European contact. Historical tribes who encountered European Americans as their settlements encroached on traditional territory included Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
and Creek. During the Indian Removal
Indian Removal
Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...
of 1830, such tribes were moved west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory, to make way for European American settlement.
Lumpkin was incorporated by European Americans on March 30, 1829. It was formerly the seat of Randolph County
Randolph County, Georgia
Randolph County is a county located in the US state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 7,791. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 7,294. The county seat is Cuthbert.-History:Randolph County is named after Virginian John Randolph....
, but became the seat of Stewart County when it split from Randolph in 1830. The city was named in honor of Wilson Lumpkin
Wilson Lumpkin
Wilson Lumpkin was a governor of Georgia, and a United States Representative and Senator.-Biography:Born near Dan River, Virginia, he moved in 1784 to Oglethorpe County, Georgia with his parents, who settled near Point Peter and subsequently at Lexington, Georgia...
, a two-term governor of Georgia and legislator who supported Indian Removal
Indian Removal
Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...
. His namesake county is at the eastern end of the state.
The town grew as a commercial center, served by stagecoach. Its merchants traded with the planters in the area. This was part of the Black Belt of Georgia, named for the fertile land that supported extensive cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
plantations in the 19th century. Planters depended on the labor of thousands of enslaved
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
African Americans before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
to cultivate and process the cotton for market.
After the war, many freedmen stayed in the area as sharecroppers and tenant farmers, and the economy continued to depend on agriculture. With land erosion, cotton farming gave way to peanut and pine tree cultivation. While the population of the county steadily decreased with the Great Migration
Great Migration (African American)
The Great Migration was the movement of 6 million blacks out of the Southern United States to the Northeast, Midwest, and West from 1910 to 1970. Some historians differentiate between a Great Migration , numbering about 1.6 million migrants, and a Second Great Migration , in which 5 million or more...
of blacks to the North
The North
The North may refer to:* a geographical section of the world * the wealthy and technologically advanced nations of the world, as contrasted with the nations comprising the South...
and Midwest in the early decades of the 20th century, that of Lumpkin remained relatively stable. The county is still quite rural.
Lumpkin was the first small town in Georgia to complete a successful historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
project to encourage tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
, with the restoration of the Bedingfield Inn, built in 1836. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and is important to the central square.
In the 1960s, a group of citizens created a living history
Living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
complex known as Westville. They relocated 30 historic structures to create a grouping of western Georgia architecture as would be found in an 1850s working village. Some of the buildings were purchased from the collection of John Word West established in 1928 in Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....
. The village is staffed by volunteers to give the sense of daily life.
Geography
Lumpkin is located at 32.049638°N 84.795859°W.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 city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.25%) is water.
Stewart County School District
The Stewart County School DistrictStewart County School District
The Stewart County School District is a public school district in Stewart County, Georgia, USA, based in Lumpkin, Georgia. It serves the communities of Lumpkin, Omaha, and Richland, Georgia.-Schools:...
holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 58 full-time teachers and over 704 students.
- Stewart County Elementary School
- Stewart County Middle School
- Stewart County High School
Elected officials
Charles Gibson, Mayor of Lumpkin, was the first African American male elected in November 2010.- Council Members: Barbara Cullefur, Kenneth Seay, Flossie Brown, Denise Tinker, Rick Eighmey, and Debbie Stone.
- City Administrator: Phillip Hite
- Chief Of Police: Ronald Jackson
- City Clerk: Marianna Williams
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 2000, there were 1,369 people, 552 households, and 367 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 862.2 people per square mile (332.4/km²). There were 621 housing units at an average density of 391.1 per square mile (150.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.42% African American, 28.85% White, 0.29% Native American, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.
There were 552 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% 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, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,315, and the median income for a family was $27,321. Males had a median income of $22,422 versus $20,250 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 $16,146. About 24.2% of families and 26.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.7% of those under age 18 and 18.3% of those age 65 or over.
Further reading
- George W. Chamberlin Jr., ed., Letters of Hawthorn: A Collection of Family Letters by Hawthorn S. Chamberlin, 1845-1865, Gadsden, Ala.: Frost and Frost, 1971.
- Helen Eliza Terrill and Sara Robertson Dixon, eds., History of Stewart County, Georgia, Columbus, Ga.: Columbus Office Supply Co., 1958.