Douglasville, Georgia
The city of Douglasville is the county seat of and largest city in Douglas County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 34,650, up from 30,961 in 2010[5] and 20,065 in 2000.
Douglasville is located approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta Metro Area. Highway access can be obtained via three interchanges along Interstate 20.
History[edit]
Located along a natural rise in the topography, Douglasville was originally known as "Skint Chestnut."[6] The name was derived from a large tree used by Native Americans as a landmark; it was stripped of its bark so as to be more conspicuous.
Douglasville was founded in 1874 as the railroad was constructed in the area. That same year, Douglasville was designated as the county seat of the recently formed Douglas County. The community was named for Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois.[7]
Georgia General Assembly first incorporated Douglasville in 1875.[8]
On September 21, 2009, Douglas County was devastated by the second worst flood in Georgia history (the first being the failure of the Kelly Barnes Dam in 1977). Over 18 inches (457 mm) of rain fell in one night, destroying many roads and homes. The county was later declared a disaster area, and the governor of Georgia declared a state of emergency. The flooding most affected the areas of Douglasville, Villa Rica, Austell, Lithia Springs, and Chapel Hill. The disaster killed more than eight people in the county, most of them in the Douglasville area.
Geography[edit]
Douglasville is located in north-central Douglas County at 33°44′59″N 84°43′23″W / 33.74972°N 84.72306°W (33.749824, −84.723190). Lithia Springs is 6 miles (10 km) to the northeast along U.S. Route 78, and Villa Rica is 10 miles (16 km) to the west. Hiram is 9 miles (14 km) to the north via SR 92. Interstate 20 passes south of downtown, leading east 22 miles (35 km) to downtown Atlanta and west 125 miles (201 km) to Birmingham, Alabama. I-20 provides access to the city from exits 34, 36, and 37.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Douglasville has a total area of 22.6 square miles (58.5 km2), of which 22.5 square miles (58.2 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.58%, is water.[5]
Douglasville has an elevation of 1,209 ft (369 m) above sea level.
Education in Douglasville is varied, with a large public school system[40] and many private schools. The Douglas County School District operates 21 elementary schools, eight middle schools, and five high schools, covering grades pre-K to 12th grade.[41]
Douglasville hosts a campus ("instructional site") of Georgia Highlands College. Nearby universities and colleges include Strayer College,[42] West Georgia Technical College,[43] and Mercer University.[44]
Douglasville has numerous secular and religious private schools, including:
Media[edit]
Douglasville is served by the Douglas County Sentinel,[53] a three-day-a-week publication that covers local and state news and by All On Georgia - Douglas,[54] a hyperlocal digital news organization that covers local, state and national news, daily. Chapel Hill News & Views also serves Douglasville as a monthly magazine with 45,000 circulation.
Douglasville Development Authority[edit]
The primary goals of the City of Douglasville Development Authority (CDDA) are to promote the economic prosperity of the city while simultaneously increasing the existing industry and business sectors in order to raise the quality of life for the city's residents. The City Development Authority also focuses on education in order successfully promote the labor force.
In the fall of 2009, an area of interest for the CDDA was the reconstruction and widening of Highway 92, which runs through the heart of the city.[60] This major roadway reconstruction was expected to have a significant impact on the city and its ability to promote economic development.