Cochran, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Cochran is a city in Bleckley County
, Georgia
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,150. The city is the county seat
of Bleckley County
.
, is named for Judge Arthur E. Cochran and was incorporated on March 19, 1869. Once known as Dykesboro, Cochran was settled by B. B. Dykes, who owned the site on which the town is built. The earliest settlers located here to engage in the turpentine
industry.
Judge Cochran was largely instrumental in developing this section of Georgia through his work as President of the Macon & Brunswick Railroad, now the Southern Railway
.
Recently, some of the Cochran Police Force has come under scrutiny for what appears to be child molestation charges. One officer has been charged and another has quit after being investigated for interference with custody.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (3.32%) is water.
of 2000, there were 4,455 people, 1,632 households, and 1,055 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,090.5 people per square mile (420.6/km²). There were 1,851 housing units at an average density of 453.1 per square mile (174.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.31% White, 42.09% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.47% from other races
, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population.
There were 1,632 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% were married couples
living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% 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 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 15.6% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,545, and the median income for a family was $35,854. Males had a median income of $29,434 versus $22,813 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,354. About 14.8% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over.
, that consists of a primary school, an elementary school, a middle school and a high school. The district has 151 full-time teachers and over 2,355 students.
Bleckley County, Georgia
Bleckley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 11,666. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 12,306. The county seat is Cochran.- 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...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 5,150. The city is the county seat
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 Bleckley County
Bleckley County, Georgia
Bleckley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 11,666. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 12,306. The county seat is Cochran.- History :...
.
History
Cochran, the County Seat of Bleckley County, GeorgiaBleckley County, Georgia
Bleckley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 11,666. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 12,306. The county seat is Cochran.- History :...
, is named for Judge Arthur E. Cochran and was incorporated on March 19, 1869. Once known as Dykesboro, Cochran was settled by B. B. Dykes, who owned the site on which the town is built. The earliest settlers located here to engage in the turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
industry.
Judge Cochran was largely instrumental in developing this section of Georgia through his work as President of the Macon & Brunswick Railroad, now the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
.
Government
The government of Cochran operates under a strong mayor-council system of local government. The current mayor of Cochran is Clifford Avant, and the City Manager is Matt Turknett. The Police Chief of Cochran is James M. Sanders, and the Fire Chief is Glenn A. Lord.Recently, some of the Cochran Police Force has come under scrutiny for what appears to be child molestation charges. One officer has been charged and another has quit after being investigated for interference with custody.
Geography
Cochran is located at 32°23′12"N 83°21′2"W (32.386646, -83.350684).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 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (3.32%) is water.
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 4,455 people, 1,632 households, and 1,055 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 1,090.5 people per square mile (420.6/km²). There were 1,851 housing units at an average density of 453.1 per square mile (174.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.31% White, 42.09% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.47% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population.
There were 1,632 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% 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, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% 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 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 15.6% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,545, and the median income for a family was $35,854. Males had a median income of $29,434 versus $22,813 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 $13,354. About 14.8% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over.
Bleckley County School District
Bleckley County students in grades Kindergarten to grade twelve are in the Bleckley County School DistrictBleckley County School District
The Bleckley County School District is a public school district in Bleckley County, Georgia, USA, based in Cochran, Georgia. It serves the communities of Allentown and Cochran, Georgia.-Schools:...
, that consists of a primary school, an elementary school, a middle school and a high school. The district has 151 full-time teachers and over 2,355 students.
- Bleckley County Primary School
- Bleckley County Elementary School
- Bleckley County Middle School
- Bleckley County High SchoolBleckley County High SchoolBleckley County High School is a high school in Cochran, Georgia, USA, 120 miles south of Atlanta. The school reaches students around grades 9-12 from the town of Cochran and the rest of Bleckley County....
Famous Citizens
- Ed Roberts, MD, founder of MITSMicro Instrumentation and Telemetry SystemsMicro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems was an American electronics company founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico that began manufacturing electronic calculators in 1971 and personal computers in 1975. Ed Roberts and Forrest Mims founded MITS in December 1969 to produce miniaturized telemetry...
and creator of the Altair 8800Altair 8800The MITS Altair 8800 was a microcomputer design from 1975 based on the Intel 8080 CPU and sold by mail order through advertisements in Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics and other hobbyist magazines. The designers hoped to sell only a few hundred build-it-yourself kits to hobbyists, and were...
microcomputer, widely regarded as starting the microcomputer revolutionMicrocomputer revolutionThe microcomputer revolution is a phrase used to describe the rapid advances of microprocessor-based computers from esoteric hobby projects to a commonplace fixture of homes in industrial societies...
.
- Musician and songwriter Clarence Reid, a.k.a. Blowfly.