Waynesboro, Georgia
City
Downtown Waynesboro, within the historic district
Downtown Waynesboro, within the historic district
Nickname: 
"The Bird Dog Capital of the World"[1]
Location in Burke County and the state of Georgia
Location in Burke County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°5′26″N 82°0′55″W / 33.09056°N 82.01528°W / 33.09056; -82.01528
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyBurke
Area
[2]
 • Total5.53 sq mi (14.31 km2)
 • Land5.47 sq mi (14.17 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2)
Elevation
295 ft (90 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total5,799
 • Density1,059.76/sq mi (409.15/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30830
Area code706
FIPS code13-80984[3]
GNIS feature ID0347180[4]
Websitewww.waynesboroga.com

Waynesboro is a city and the county seat of Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,766 at the 2010 census.[5] [6] It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

Waynesboro is known as "The Bird Dog Capital of the World".[7] The Waynesboro Commercial Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Waynesboro is located in Burke County, one of the eight original counties of Georgia. The city was named after General Anthony Wayne, whose daring efforts during the Revolutionary War earned him the nickname "Mad Anthony Wayne".[8]

Although European Americans lived in the area before the Revolutionary War, the town was not laid out until 1783. The city was officially incorporated in 1883 as Waynesborough. The name was changed to Waynesboro sometime after.[9] It developed as the trading and government center of the county, and is the site of the county courthouse and jail.

President George Washington spent the night of May 17, 1791, in Waynesboro. A stone monument on Liberty Street marks the historical site; it stands in front of the Golden Pantry (formerly Kwik Stop).[10]

On December 4, 1864, the Civil War Battle of Waynesboro was fought just south of the town. Forces under Union General Judson Kilpatrick prevented troops led by Confederate General Joseph Wheeler from interfering with Union General William T. Sherman's campaign to destroy a wide swathe of the South on his march to Savannah, Georgia, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Geography

Waynesboro is located in the center of Burke County at 33°5′26″N 82°0′55″W / 33.09056°N 82.01528°W / 33.09056; -82.01528 (33.090482, -82.015404).[11] U.S. Route 25 bypasses the city on the east side, while State Route 121 passes through the center as Liberty Street. To the north it is 28 miles (45 km) to downtown Augusta, and to the south it is 49 miles (79 km) to Statesboro.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Waynesboro has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km2), of which 5.4 square miles (14.0 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.96%, is water.[5] The city's elevation is 295 feet (90 m) above sea level. Pine, oak, dogwood, and other trees found in the South are in Waynesboro.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850196—
18801,008—
18901,71169.7%
19002,03018.6%
19102,72934.4%
19203,31121.3%
19303,92218.5%
19403,793−3.3%
19504,46117.6%
19605,35920.1%
19705,5303.2%
19805,7604.2%
19905,701−1.0%
20005,8132.0%
20105,766−0.8%
20205,7990.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1850-1870[13] 1880[14]
1890-1910[15] 1920-1930[16]
1930-1940[17] 1940-1950[18]
1960-1980[19]1980-2000[20]
Waynesboro racial composition as of 2020[21]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 1,603 27.64%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 3,861 66.58%
Native American 9 0.16%
Asian 32 0.55%
Other/Mixed 157 2.71%
Hispanic or Latino 137 2.36%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,799 people, 1,991 households, and 1,339 families residing in the city.

Economy

Nuclear power plant

On February 2, 2010, President Obama was expected to announce a total of $8.3 billion in federal loan guarantees to build and operate a pair of nuclear reactors in Burke County by Southern Company, an Atlanta-based energy company.[22] The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offered Southern Company's subsidiary, Georgia Power, a conditional commitment for loan guarantees for the construction of the nation's first nuclear power units in more than 30 years. The new units will be located at Plant Vogtle along the Savannah River 21 miles (34 km) east of Waynesboro, where the company already owns and operates two nuclear units. The conditional commitment is for loan guarantees that would apply to future borrowings related to the construction of Vogtle units 3 and 4.

Arts and culture

The Burke County Museum traces the area's history, from plantation life to the establishment of agribusiness.[23]

Education

Burke County School District

K-12 public education in Waynesboro is managed by Burke County Public Schools, with one high school, one middle school, two elementary/one primary school, and one alternative school and four private schools.[24]

  • SGA Elementary School (Pre k-5)
  • Blakeney Elementary School (3-5)
  • Waynesboro Primary School (pre K-2)
  • Burke County Middle School (6-8)
  • Burke County High School (9-12)
  • Burke County Alternative School (6-12)

Private Schools

  • Burke Haven Christian (K-8)
  • Edmund Burke Academy (Pre K-12)
  • Lord's House of Praise Christian (Pre K-11)
  • Waynesboro Mennonite School (1-12)

Burke County Bears

Waynesboro is the home to the Burke County Bears high school sports teams. The Bears won the 2011 state football championship against the Trojans of Peach County. Back in the 1950s, the former Waynesboro High School team, the Purple Hurricanes, won the state championship, but the Bears had not won a state championship football game until 2011.

Higher education

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Waynesboro, Georgia". Waynesboro, Georgia. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Waynesboro city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Waynesboro". Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  8. ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 249. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  9. ↑ , Burke Chamber of Commerce website
  10. ↑ "TDGH - May 17". Archived from the original on November 3, 1999.
  11. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  13. ↑ "1870 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1870.
  14. ↑ "1880 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1880.
  15. ↑ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930.
  16. ↑ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930. p. 253.
  17. ↑ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1940.
  18. ↑ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  19. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  20. ↑ "2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 2000.
  21. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Obama Nuclear Plant: President To Announce Loan Guarantee For More Than $8 Billion". Huffington Post. February 16, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Waynesboro". Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  24. ↑ "Burke County Public Schools - Schools". Archived from the original on May 13, 2006.
  25. ↑ Crasnick, Jerry. "Royals, Jonathan Broxton agree to deal." ESPN, Nov. 29, 2011. Accessed Nov. 29, 2011. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7293835/los-angeles-dodgers-free-agent-jonathan-broxton-reaches-deal-kansas-city-royals
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