Valdosta, Georgia:

It is called the Azalea City as the plant grows in profusion there; the city hosts an annual Azalea Festival in March.

Located in the far southern portion of the state, near the Florida line, it is a commercial center of South Georgia with numerous manufacturing plants. The surrounding area produces tobacco, naval stores, particularly turpentine, as well as pine lumber, and pulpwood. According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Valdosta is called the "Naval Stores Capital of the World" because it supplies 80% of the world demand for naval stores.^[5]

Valdosta has a number of picturesque historic districts including the well maintained Fairview Historic District which includes the Roberts House, the oldest home in Lowndes County. Another famous building, The Crescent, has all the appearance of an antebellum mansion on oak-shaded grounds, although it was actually built in the early 20th century.

The city has a vibrant art scene supported actively by Valdosta State University, the Southern Artists League, the Turner Art Center, and the Snake Nation Press.

History

Valdosta was incorporated on December 7, 1860, at which time the county government was moved from nearby Troupville.^[6] Troupville was a steamboat landing on the Withlacoochee River, but when the Gulf and Atlantic Railroad was built four miles (about 6 km) away, the inhabitants simply picked up the town and moved it to the railroad. There are still buildings in Valdosta that made the move.^{[citation needed]}

Troupville, now virtually abandoned, had been named after Governor George Troup, for whom Troup County, Georgia was also named. Valdosta was named after Troup's estate, Val d'Osta, which itself was named after the Valle d'Aosta in Italy. Recipes such as Fonduta alla Valdostana and Pollo alla Valdostana refer to the Italian region and use Fontina cheese made there, and not to the south Georgia city. The city is located on the Atlantic Coastal Plain and has no valley.

Many of Valdosta's early pioneers are buried in Cat Creek Cemetery on the outskirts of modern Valdosta. Common surnames are etched on the fading tombstones that dot the landscape of this ancient burial ground.

After the American Civil War, over one hundred African Americans, families of farmers, craftsmen, and laborers, emigrated from Lowndes County to Arithington, Liberia, Africa in 1871 and 1872, looking for a better life. This was made possible with the support of the American Colonization Society. The first group, which left in 1871, was led by Jefferson Bracewell, and the second group was led by Aaron Miller.^[7]

In November 1902, the Harris Nickel-Plate Circus' prize elephant, Gypsy, went on a rampage and killed her trainer James O'Rourke. After terrorizing the town for a couple of hours, she ran off to Cherry Creek, north of Valdosta. Gypsy was chased by Police Chief Calvin Dampier and a posse. Gypsy was killed by a shot from a Krag-Jørgensen rifle and buried on-site; James O'Rourke was buried in Sunset Hill Cemetery in Valdosta.^[8]^[9]

A high school oratory contest once held in Valdosta was notable for the second place winner, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Valdosta was named one of 2003's "Top 100 U.S. Small Towns" by Site Selection magazine.^[13] In 1910, Fortune magazine named Valdosta the richest city in America by per capita income.^[14]

Geography

It is located in the coastal plain of Georgia and thus has a virtually flat landscape. Valdosta lies 240 miles south of the Georgia State Capital at Atlanta. Highways stretch for miles with hardly a curve, rise, or fall. The 60 miles (97km) of railway between Valdosta and Waycross was once the longest straight stretch of railroad in the world.^{[citation needed]}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.3 square miles (78.4 km²). 29.9 square miles (77.5 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.09% water.

Demographics

MSA

According to the Bureau of Census, the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had an estimated population of 126,305 and ranked #294 in the U.S. in 2005. (The MSA consisists of Lowndes, Brooks, Lanier, and Echols Counties.)

City

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 43,724 people, 16,692 households, and 10,232 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,460.3 people per square mile (563.9/km²). There were 18,907 housing units at an average density of 631.5/sq mi (243.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 47.71% White, 48.49% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.

There were 16,692 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 18.4% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,046, and the median income for a family was $38,174. Males had a median income of $27,281 versus $20,807 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,472. About 18.8% of families and 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.1% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.

Past populations

Schools

The city of Valdosta houses 2 school systems: Valdosta (the city school system) and Lowndes (the county school system). There are also numerous private schools.

High School Football and "TitleTown USA" Award

Valdosta has a strong high school football tradition. The Valdosta High School Wildcats have one of the most successful high school football programs in the country.^[16] Its record from 1913 through 2004 includes six national championships, 23 state championships, and 41 regional championships. Cross-town rival Lowndes High School has also built a strong program, winning five state titles since 1980 (including 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2007).^[17] Valwood School has won three GISA state football titles in Class A for the years 1985-1987 and 1999-2000.^[18]

In 2001, Valdosta High School's football coach, Mike O'Brien, told a national gathering of coaches:

The present record as stands at the end of the 2007 Season is 838-191-33^{[citation needed]}

Due to the Valdosta High School football team's record as well as championships in many sports by Valdosta State University, Lowndes County High School, Georgia Christian Academy in nearby Dasher and other academic institutions in the town, on July 28, 2008, Valdosta was named ESPN's "TitleTown USA" based on 29.2% of fan votes on their website poll.[3]

College Football

Valdosta State University began fielding an NCAA Division II football program in 1982. The Blazers won the NCAA Division II National Championship on December 15, 2007 with a victory over NW Missouri State, 25-20. This was their second National Championship, having won their first in 2004 over Pittsburg State, 35-31. Their first appearance in the Division II National Championship Game was in 2002, when VSU fell to Grand Valley State, 31-24. The Blazers also have won 5 Gulf South Conference football championships (1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004). Two notable alumni are Jessie Tuggle, National Football League linebacker from 1987-2000 playing his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons, and Chris Hatcher, previous head coach of Valdosta State and current coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles. Hatcher amassed a 68-10 record with one national championship and four conference crowns during his six-year tenure at Valdosta State. David Dean, former VSU offensive coordinator, is the current football head coach at Valdosta State University.

Transportation

Media

Newspaper

Radio

Notable residents and natives

Valdosta in fiction

References

^ ^a ^b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ "Valdosta, GA Detailed Profile". Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
^ "Annual Estimates of the Population of Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 (CBSA-EST2007-01)" (CSV). 2007 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division (2008-03-27). Retrieved on 2008-03-29.
^ "Georgia Department of Community Affairs' Data for Valdosta". Retrieved on 2008-07-28.
^ http://valdosta.georgia.gov/05/home/0,2230,8612891,00.html;jsessionid=2AA6BDE2C6D608095EC9E4AACF298E81
^ Eric Dewayne Jackson (2003). "Lowdnes County Georgia List of Emigrants to Arithington, Liberia". Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
^ "Gypsy". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
^ "Elephant Kills Keeper". The New York Times (1902-11-24). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
^ Jessica Pope (2007-09-29). "A trip through time". The Valdosta Daily Times. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
^ Billy Bruce (2007-12-22). "Breathing fresh life into Downtown". The Valdosta Daily Times. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
^ Teresa L. Morisi (August 1996). "Commercial banking transformed by computer technology". Monthly Labor Review. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
^ Ron Starner (March 2004). "The Road to Boomtown". Site Selection. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
^ "Triple Crown Hometowns". Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ National High School Sports Record Book
^ [1]
^ [2]

Valdosta, Georgia

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