Macon, Georgia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Macon, Georgia
Downtown Macon, facing north.
Nickname: The Mac-Town", "The Heart of GA", "The 478", "M.A.C."
Location in Bibb County in the state of Georgia
Country	United States
State	Georgia
Counties	Bibb
Government
- Mayor	C. Jack Ellis (D)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Website: http://www.macon.com/

Macon is a city located in central Georgia. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County, It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 80 miles (129 km) south of Atlanta, hence the city's nickname as the Heart of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, Macon had a population of 97,255; ^[1] as of 2005, the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley combined statistical area had an estimated metropolitan population of 379,669 ^[2].

Robins Air Force Base, a major employer, is south of the city. The area is also home to several institutions of higher education, as well as numerous museums and tourism sites. The area is served by the Middle Georgia Regional Airport. The current (as of 2007) mayor of Macon is C. Jack Ellis (who has expressed an intent to change his name to Hakim Mansour Ellis due to his conversion to Islam).

Contents 1 Climate 2 Geography 3 Surrounding Cities and Towns 4 Demographics 5 Economy 5.1 City Economy 5.2 Personal Income 6 History 7 Musical Heritage 8 Festivals 9 Notable People 10 Attractions 11 Media 11.1 Newspapers 11.2 Magazines 11.3 Television Stations 11.4 Radio Stations 12 Major Venues 13 Education 14 Transportation 15 Sports 16 Fun Facts 17 Major Routes 18 Sister Cities 19 External links 20 References 21 External Links

[edit] Climate

Macon has a humid, subtropical temperature. The summer often reaches its high in the mid-90s, and the winters have lows in the mid-40s. The city has an average annual precipitation of 45 inches. Macon is often considered a dividing line or "natural snowline" of the southeastern United States with areas north of the city receiving snowfall annually, while areas to the south typically not receiving snowfall every year or at all.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rec High °F	84	85	95	96	99	106	108	105	102	100	88	82
Norm High °F	56.6	60.9	68.5	75.9	83.4	89.5	91.8	90.5	85.4	76.8	67.8	59.2
Norm Low °F	34.5	37	43.8	49.5	58.6	66.6	70.5	69.5	63.7	51.1	42.5	36.3
Rec Low °F	-6	9	14	29	40	46	54	55	35	26	10	5
Precip (in)	5	4.55	4.9	3.14	2.98	3.54	4.32	3.79	3.26	2.37	3.22	3.93
Source: USTravelWeather.com [1]

[edit] Geography

Macon is one of Georgia's three Fall Line Cities, along with Augusta and Columbus. The Fall Line is where the hilly lands of the Piedmont plateau meet the flat terrain of the coastal plain. As such, Macon has a varied landscape of rolling hills on the north side and flat plains on the south. The fall line causes rivers in the area to decline rapidly towards sea level, making it an ideal location for textile mills in the past. The Ocmulgee River is the major river that runs through Macon.

The Macon metropolitan area spans 13 counties including Bibb County, Twiggs County, Jones County, Houston County, Peach County, Dooly County, Pulaski County, Bleckley County, Wilkinson County, Laurens County, Dodge County, Crawford County, and Monroe County.

Macon is located at 32°50′5″N, 83°39′6″W (32.834839, -83.651672)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 145.7 km² (56.3 mi²). 144.5 km² (55.8 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (0.82%) is water.

Macon is approximately 381 feet (116 meters) above sea level^GR3.

[edit] Surrounding Cities and Towns

Main article: Macon metropolitan area

Lizella Payne City Warner Robins Centerville Perry Fort Valley Gray Forsyth Roberta Hawkinsville Byron Perry Milledgeville Bolingbroke

Knoxville Culloden Dublin Juliette Smarr Robins AFB Danville Forsyth Jeffersonville Walden Sofkee Franklinton Avondale

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 97,255 people, 38,444 households, and 24,219 families residing in the city. The population density was 672.9/km² (1,742.8/mi²). There were 44,341 housing units at an average density of 306.8/km² (794.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.46% White, 62.45% African American, .19% Native American, 0.65 Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.

There were 38,444 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.0% were married couples living together, 25.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 79.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.8 males.

[edit] Economy

[edit] City Economy

An economic study ranked Macon 278 out of 302 cities in 2006.^[3]

[edit] Personal Income

The median income for a household in the city was $27,405, and the median income for a family was $33,699. Males had a median income of $29,950 versus $22,865 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,082. About 21.6% of families and 25.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.7% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Macon lies on the site of the Ocmulgee Old Fields, which were home to Creek Indians and their predecessors for as long as 12,000 years before Europeans arrived. The fields and forests around Macon and what is now the Ocmulgee National Monument were cultivated by the Creeks, who built temple and funeral mounds that survive today.

Prior to its establishment as a city, Macon was the site of Fort Benjamin Hawkins. After the Creeks ceded their lands east of the Ocmulgee River, President Thomas Jefferson ordered the fort built in 1806 on the fall line of the Ocmulgee River to protect the new frontier, as it was a major military distribution point during the War of 1812 and the Creek War of 1813. Afterwards, the fort became a trading post for a few more years before it fell to disuse. A replica of the fort, however, stands today on a hill in east Macon. By this time, many settlers had already begun to move into the area and later renamed Fort Hawkins “Newtown.” After the establishment of Bibb

County in 1822, the city was chartered as the county seat in 1823 and officially named Macon, in honor of North Carolina

statesman Nathaniel Macon because many of the city's early settlers hailed from North Carolina. The city planners of Macon envisioned "a city within a park" and went about creating a city of spacious streets and parks. They also designated 250 acres for Central City Park and citizens were required by ordinances to plant shade trees in their front yards.

The city thrived due to its location on the Ocmulgee River and cotton became the mainstay of Macon's early economy. Cotton boats, stage coaches, and later, in 1843, a railroad all brought economic prosperity to Macon. In 1836, Wesleyan College, the oldest women's college in the world, was founded in Macon.In 1855 a referendum was held to determine a capital city for Georgia. Macon came in last with 3,802 votes[2].

During the American Civil War, Macon served as the official arsenal of the Confederacy and Macon City Hall, which would serve as the temporary state capitol in 1864, was converted to use as a hospital for the wounded. However, Macon was spared by General William Tecumseh Sherman on his march to the sea. The nearby state capital of Milledgeville had been sacked and Maconites prepared for an attack. But General Sherman feared that Confederate forces were preparing a unified attack of their own and therefore bypassed Macon. Throughout the era of Reconstruction and into the twentieth century, Macon grew into a prospering town in Middle Georgia, and began to serve as a transportation hub for the entire state.

Macon was famous for being the home of the serial killer Anjette Lyles, as well as alleged axe murderer Thomas Woolfolk.^[4]

[edit] Musical Heritage

Macon natives have had a great influence upon music of the United States. The kazoo was invented in the city during the 1840s. Macon has been the birthplace or hometown to such musicians as The Allman Brothers Band, Mark Heard, Lucille Hegamin, Lena Horne, Otis Redding, and Little Richard, as well as more recent names like violinist Robert McDuffie, rapper Young Jeezy, Phil Walden and country artist Jason Aldean. Partly as a result of this musical heritage, Macon is also the home of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. This is where musicians from around the state are enshrined for their contributions.

Today, the city remains the cultural hub of Middle Georgia, hosting the Macon Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the historic Grand Opera House in downtown Macon, as well as a youth symphony, the Middle Georgia Concert Band, and numerous other groups, many associated with the local universities.

[edit] Festivals

• International Cherry Blossom Festival - Macon is known as the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World." It boasts over 300,000 Yoshino Cherry Trees, more than any other city in the world. During mid-March of every year, the height of the trees' bloom, Macon holds this 10-day celebration of concerts, food festivals, arts and crafts shows, parades, street markets, picnics, dances, and exhibitions of artists from around the world. The city becomes bathed in pink, the symbolizing color of this event, reflecting the color of the blossoms. The festival is by far Macon's largest and most well-known event. It has become among the top 20 events in the South, top 50 in the United States, and one of the top 100 in North America.

• First Night Macon - First Night Macon is a family-oriented arts festival held in Macon every New Year's Eve. It features many concerts, dances, art shows, and theatrical performances at different venues and galleries around the downtown area, and a grand finale of fireworks at midnight.

• Pan African Festival - Macon has a rich African American cultural heritage. Each year in April, Macon holds the Pan-African Festival featuring parades, African and Caribbean musical performances, African dancing, films, food festival, cultural shows, and exhibitions.

• Ocmulgee Indian Celebration - A celebration of Macon's original Native American Heritage, this festival is held every September at Ocmulgee National Monument. Representatives from diverse backgrounds of Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, and other nations come to share stories, exhibit native art, perform dances, and play live music.

• The Georgia State Fair - The Fair is held in Central City Park every year starting in late September.

[edit] Notable People

• Young Jeezy (A popular American rapper)
• Kadalack Boyz
• Jason Aldean (an American country singer)
• The Allman Brothers (a band from labeled by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as "the principal architects of Southern rock.")
• Catherine Brewer Benson (credited as the first woman to earn a college degree)
• William Shepherd Benson (an admiral in the United States Navy and the first Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), holding the post throughout World War I)
• Kevin Brown (MLB pitcher)
• Nancy Grace (an American talk show host and former prosecutor)
• Mark Heard (a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter)
• Lucille Hegamin (a United States singer and entertainer, and a pioneer African American blues recording artist)
• Al Lucas (a football player in the NFL and Arena Football League)
• Norm Nixon (a former professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association)
• Anjette Lyles
• Little Richard (an American singer, songwriter, and pianist)
• Robert McDuffie (an internationally-renowned violinist)
• Emmett Miller (an American minstrel show singer noted for a yodel-like falsetto voice)
• Otis Redding (an influential American deep soul singer)
• John Rocker (former American Major League Baseball relief pitcher)
• Theron Sapp, University of Georgia and NFL football player
• Ken Shamrock, former professional wrestler and MMA fighter.
• Russell Branyan (Major League Baseball player)
• Phil Walden (co-founder of the Macon, Georgia-based Capricorn Records)
• Sidney Lanier (an American musician and poet)
• Walter F. George (an American politician)
• Sonny Carter (American Astronaut and Soccer Player)

[edit] Attractions

• Ocmulgee National Monument is located near downtown Macon. It preserves some of the largest mounds in Georgia built by the Native Americans of the Mississippian culture a millennium ago. The park features a spiral mound, funeral mound, temple mounds, burial mounds, an earth lodge, as well as other smaller sites used for ceremonial purposes.

• Rose Hill Cemetery is one of Macon's oldest cemeteries. It is a popular attraction with many fans of the Allman Brothers Band, as two members of the band (Duane Allman and Berry Oakley), are interred there, as are many Civil War soldiers.

• Harriet Tubman African American Museum - the largest African American museum in Georgia

• Waddell Barnes Botanical Gardens

• Hay House - also known as the "Johnston-Felton-Hay House", it has been referred to as the "Palace of the South"

• Sidney Lanier Cottage - historical home to poet Sidney Lanier

• Neel Reid Federated Garden Club Center

• Cannonball House and Civil War Museum

• Woodruff House

• Douglass Theatre, historical african-american theater

• The Grand Opera House, home to the Macon Symphony Orchestra.

• Museum of Arts and Sciences and Planetarium

• Georgia Music Hall of Fame

• Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

• Mercer University

• Fort Hawkins, the original white settlement in the area

• City Hall, Georgia's capitol for part of the Civil War

• City Auditorium, the world's largest copper dome

• Macon Mall, one of Georgia's largest shopping centers outside of metro Atlanta

• Macon Little Theatre, established in 1934, the area's oldest community theatre producing 7 plays/musicals per season

• The Macon Terminal Station

• The Georgia Children's Museum - Five Stories of interactive education located in downtown

• Ocmulgee Heritage Trail - a greenway of parks, plazas, and landmarks along the Ocmulgee River in downtown Macon

• Nu-Way Wieners - Macon is home to the first Nu-Way Weiners, built in 1916.

[edit] Media

[edit] Newspapers

The Telegraph, a daily newspaper, is the primary newspaper in Macon.

[edit] Magazines

Macon Magazine is a bi-monthly publication with more than 45,000 readers per month. Macon Magazine emphasizes local history, arts and cultural events, homes and real estate developments plus the people and places that make Central Georgia unique.

[edit] Television Stations

• 03 WBMN - CW
• 13 WMAZ - CBS
• 24 WGXA - FOX
• 29 WMUM-TV - PBS
• 31 WDMA-CA - Daystar
• 41 WMGT-TV - NBC
• 55 WSST - Ind.
• 58 WPGA-TV - ABC
• 64 WGNM - CTN

[edit] Radio Stations

FM

• WXKO FM - Macon
• WMNZ FM - Macon
• WEAM FM - Macon
• WLVN FM - Macon
• WKZR FM - Macon
• WBKG 88.9 - Macon (Religious)
• WLZN 92.3 - Macon (Urban Hip-Hop - "Blazin' 92.3")
• WPEZ 93.7 - Macon (AC)
• WMBB 95.1 - Macon
• WPCH 96.5 - Macon (Oldies/Adult Contemporary - "The New Peach")
• WVMG AM/FM 96.7 - Macon
• WDEN 99.1 - Macon (Country)
• WMGZ 97.7 FM - Macon
• WIBB 97.9 - Macon (Urban - Hip Hop "97.9 WIBB")
• WRBV 101.7 - Macon (Urban AC - "V101.7")
• WEBL 102.5 - Macon (Country - "THE BULL")
• WQSY FM 103.9 - Macon
• WIFN Sports 105.5 - Macon (Sports)
• WQBZ 106.3 - Macon (AOR - Classic Rock 'n' Roll - "Q106")
• WFXM 107.1 - Macon (Hip-Hop & R&B "Power 107")

AM

• WMVG AM - Macon
• WBML 900 AM - Macon (Religious)
• WMAC 940 AM - Macon (Talk)
• WDDO 1240 AM - Macon (Gospel)
• WLCG 1280 AM - Macon (Gospel - "The Light")
• WNNG 1350 AM - Warner Robins (Adult Standards - "Timeless Classics")
• WNEX 1400 AM - Macon (Sports)
• WDEN 1500 AM - Macon (Country)
• WVVM 1670 AM - Macon (Regional Mexican - "VIVA 1670")

[edit] Major Venues

• Al Sihah Shrine Park
• Henderson Stadium
• Fort Valley Stadium
• Central City Park
• Club Money's (Nightclub and concert venue)
• Luther Williams Field
• Macon Coliseum
• Macon City Auditorium
• Reaves Arena
• Cox Capitol Theatre
• Macon Little Theater
• Rock-A-Billy's (Nightclub and concert venue)
• Douglass Theater
• Grand Opera House
• The Edgar H. Wilson Convention Centre
• Theatre Macon
• The Convention Center
• Arrowhead Park

[edit] Education

Colleges and Universities

• Central Georgia Technical College

• Georgia College and State University - main campus in Milledgeville
• Macon State College
• Mercer University
• Wesleyan College
• Troy University - main campus in Troy, Alabama

High Schools

• Central Fellowship Christian Academy
• Central High School
• First Presbyterian Day School
• Gilead Christian Academy
• Hutchings High School
• Mount de Sales Academy
• Northeast Magnet High School
• Rutland High School
• Southwest Magnet High School
• Stratford Academy
• Tattnall Square Academy
• Westside High School
• Windsor Academy

Special facilities

• Georgia Academy for the Blind

[edit] Transportation

Middle Georgia Regional Airport (IATA: MCN, ICAO: KMCN), provides air service between Macon and many national and international destinations. Situated 9 miles (14 km) south of downtown, the airport covers most of the land inside a wedge formed by Interstates 75 and 475.

Most Maconites rely on their cars as the dominant mode of transportation in the region. Macon is mostly encircled by Interstate 475, which has come to mark the boundary between the interior of the region and its surrounding suburbs. Terms such as ITP (Inside The Perimeter) and OTP (Outside The Perimeter) have arisen to describe area neighborhoods, residents, and businesses. Two major interstate highways converge in Macon; I-16 and I-75.

The Macon Transit Authority (MTA) is Macon's public-transit system, operating the bus system within Bibb County. However, many commuters in Macon and the surrounding suburbs use private automobiles as their primary transportation. (This may be partly because Georgia has had one of the lowest excise taxes on gasoline in the United States. Such taxes in Georgia have risen, however, in recent years: for example, in July 2002, Alaska was the only state with a tax lower than Georgia's 30.6 cents per gallon, but, by August 2005, Georgia's tax had risen by 34.6%, to 41.2 cents per gallon, and 21 states and the District of Columbia had taxes lower than Georgia's.) This results in heavy traffic during rush hour and contributes to Macon's air pollution.

Macon Transit Authority (MTA) has also started a trolley system. The trolleys have been offering tours in the downtown Macon area since 1999. The tour consist of all of the major historical sites such as the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the Hay House, and the Tubman Museum. There are three trolleys; MITSI, Miss Molly, and Sweet Melissa and each holds up to 39 passengers. The trolley tour is 25 Cents per person on weekdays!

Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service between Macon and many locations throughout the United States and Canada. The Greyhound terminal is situated at 65 Spring Street, on the eastern edge of the downtown area.

[edit] Sports

Club	Sport	League	Venue	Logo
Macon Music	Baseball	South Coast League	Luther Williams Field

[edit] Fun Facts

• The first kazoo was invented in this city by an African American named Alabama Vest in the 19th century.
• Macon was home to Capricorn Records in the 1970s.

[edit] Major Routes

Interstate 16 Interstate 75 Interstate 475 U.S. Route 23 U.S. Route 41

U.S. Route 80 U.S. Route 129 State Route 11 State Route 19 State Route 22

[edit] Sister Cities

Mâcon, France Elmina, Ghana Kurobe, Japan

Ulyanovsk, Russia Gwacheon City, South Korea Kaohsiung, Taiwan

[edit] External links

• City of Macon Official Homepage
• Macon (Georgia) travel guide from Wikitravel
• Macon and Middle GA Guide

• Map of Macon, GA
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 32.834839° -83.651672°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

[edit] References

1. ^ U.S. Census Bureau Population Finder
2. ^ Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 (Note: This is a Microsoft Excel-formatted file)
3. ^ http://www.gwu.edu/~gwipp/papers/wp021.pdf
4. ^ While Woolfolk was convicted and hung for the crime, a subsequent confession from another person about to be lynched has cast strong doubt on his guilt.

[edit] External Links

• Macon (the New Georgia Encyclopedia)

	State of Georgia Atlanta (capital)
Regions	Colonial Coast | The Golden Isles | Historic South | Inland Empire | Metro Atlanta | North Georgia Mountains | Southern Rivers
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