Lanier County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Lanier County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. It is part of the Valdosta
, Georgia
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. As of 2009, the population was 8,423. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 7,847. The county seat
is Lakeland
. Lakeland is Lanier County's only incorporated municipality. Lanier shares Moody Air Force Base
with Lowndes County
on its western boundary.
.
Lanier County was created by passage of a state constitutional amendment by the voters of Georgia on November 2, 1920. The county was created from parts of Berrien
, Clinch
, and Lowndes
counties. Its 187 square miles (484.3 km²) were formerly held by Creek Indians. The county is home to several lakes, including Banks Lake, Grand Bay Lake, and Lake Irma. Lanier County is home to Georgia Democratic Governor Eurith D. Rivers
(December 5, 1895 – June 11, 1967) who served as Governor of Georgia from 1937 to 1941. Lanier County is also home to Jay Shaw who is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives
.
The Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1985, hosts approximately 20,000 visitors annually. It provides hiking, fishing, and boating opportunities on more than 4000 acres (16.2 km²) of water, Banks Lake marsh, and swamp. The Robert Simpson III Nature Trail, dedicated in August 2001, is located within the Lakeland, Georgia
city limits on 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) of pine and hardwood forests. The county is famous for its excellent fishing in the Alapaha River
, Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge
as well as in its many small lakes.
Eurith D. Rivers
' home, which was moved from its original spot on Banks Lake to West Main Street in Lakeland in the early 1980s; Union Baptist Church, located near Georgia Highway 135; and Fender Cemetery, located east of Lakeland at the junction of U.S. 221 and Georgia Highway 37 on land that once belonged to David Fender. The site of the cemetery, in which many of the area's first settlers are buried, was chosen so that mourners would not have to ferry their dead across the river for burial. Also, the "Murals of Milltown," which depict community life in the 1920s, grace the exteriors of buildings in downtown Lakeland.
of 2000, there were 7,847 people, 2,893 households, and 1,931 families residing in the county. The population density
was 39 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 3,011 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.61% White
, 20.63% African American
, 0.57% Native American
, 0.36% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
, 0.59% from other races
, and 1.20% from two or more races. 1.74% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,593 households out of which 37.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples
living together, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.40% under the age of 18, 11.00% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,171, and the median income for a family was $54,512. Males had a median income of $46,023 versus $39,021 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $43,690. About 5.30% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.
The top ten employers in Lanier County are:
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. It is part of the Valdosta
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
, 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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Valdosta metropolitan area
The Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties – Brooks, Echols, Lanier, and Lowndes – in south-central Georgia, anchored by the city of Valdosta...
. As of 2009, the population was 8,423. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 7,847. 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....
is Lakeland
Lakeland, Georgia
Lakeland is a city in Lanier County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Lanier County. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,730 at the 2000 census....
. Lakeland is Lanier County's only incorporated municipality. Lanier shares Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base
Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
with Lowndes County
Lowndes County, Georgia
Lowndes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia along the Florida border. It was created December 23, 1825. The 2010 Census showed a population of 109,233...
on its western boundary.
History
The county is named after the Georgia poet Sidney LanierSidney Lanier
Sidney Lanier was an American musician and poet.-Biography:Sidney Lanier was born February 3, 1842, in Macon, Georgia, to parents Robert Sampson Lanier and Mary Jane Anderson; he was mostly of English ancestry. His distant French Huguenot ancestors immigrated to England in the 16th century...
.
Lanier County was created by passage of a state constitutional amendment by the voters of Georgia on November 2, 1920. The county was created from parts of Berrien
Berrien County, Georgia
Berrien County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 16,235. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 16,722. The county seat is Nashville....
, Clinch
Clinch County, Georgia
Clinch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 14, 1850, named in honor of Duncan Lamont Clinch. As of 2000, the population is 6,878. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 6,992...
, and Lowndes
Lowndes County, Georgia
Lowndes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia along the Florida border. It was created December 23, 1825. The 2010 Census showed a population of 109,233...
counties. Its 187 square miles (484.3 km²) were formerly held by Creek Indians. The county is home to several lakes, including Banks Lake, Grand Bay Lake, and Lake Irma. Lanier County is home to Georgia Democratic Governor Eurith D. Rivers
Eurith D. Rivers
Eurith Dickenson Rivers was an American politician from Lanier County, Georgia. He was the 68th Governor of Georgia from 1937 to 1941.-Life and career:Rivers obtained a degree through La Salle Extension University...
(December 5, 1895 – June 11, 1967) who served as Governor of Georgia from 1937 to 1941. Lanier County is also home to Jay Shaw who is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 199.83 square miles (517.6 km²), of which 186.82 square miles (483.9 km²) (or 93.49%) is land and 13.01 square miles (33.7 km²) (or 6.51%) is water.Major Highways
U.S. Highway 84
U.S. Highway 129
U.S. Highway 221
Georgia State Route 37Georgia State Route 37State Route 37 is a west–east state route located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from Alabama State Route 10 at the Alabama state line west of Fort Gaines east to U.S...
Georgia State Route 64Georgia State Route 64Georgia State Route 64 is a highway located in southern Georgia that runs from U.S. Route 129 in Ray City to State Route 158 in rural Coffee County.- Routing :...
Georgia State Route 122Georgia State Route 122State Route 122 is a East–West route located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The route runs from its Eastern terminus at US 1/SR 4/US 23/US 84/SR 38 in Waycross West to its Western terminus at US 19/SR 3/US 84/SR 38/SR 300 in Thomasville....
Georgia State Route 135
Adjacent Counties
- Berrien CountyBerrien County, GeorgiaBerrien County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 16,235. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 16,722. The county seat is Nashville....
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- Northwest - Atkinson CountyAtkinson County, GeorgiaAtkinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia, and was formed in 1917 from parts of Coffee and Clinch counties. As of 2000, the population was 7,609. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 8,223...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- North - Clinch CountyClinch County, GeorgiaClinch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 14, 1850, named in honor of Duncan Lamont Clinch. As of 2000, the population is 6,878. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 6,992...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- East - Echols CountyEchols County, GeorgiaEchols County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population is 3,754. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 4,093. The county seat is Statenville...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- South - Lowndes CountyLowndes County, GeorgiaLowndes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia along the Florida border. It was created December 23, 1825. The 2010 Census showed a population of 109,233...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- Southwest
National Protected Area
- Banks Lake National Wildlife RefugeBanks Lake National Wildlife RefugeThe Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 4,049 acre National Wildlife Refuge located in Lanier County, Georgia. Banks Lake is a natural pocosin or sink of ancient geologic origin...
The Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1985, hosts approximately 20,000 visitors annually. It provides hiking, fishing, and boating opportunities on more than 4000 acres (16.2 km²) of water, Banks Lake marsh, and swamp. The Robert Simpson III Nature Trail, dedicated in August 2001, is located within the Lakeland, Georgia
Lakeland, Georgia
Lakeland is a city in Lanier County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Lanier County. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,730 at the 2000 census....
city limits on 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) of pine and hardwood forests. The county is famous for its excellent fishing in the Alapaha River
Alapaha River
The Alapaha River is a river in southern Georgia and northern Florida in the United States. It is a tributary of the Suwannee River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico.- Course :...
, Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 4,049 acre National Wildlife Refuge located in Lanier County, Georgia. Banks Lake is a natural pocosin or sink of ancient geologic origin...
as well as in its many small lakes.
Historic Sites
Historic sites include GovernorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Eurith D. Rivers
Eurith D. Rivers
Eurith Dickenson Rivers was an American politician from Lanier County, Georgia. He was the 68th Governor of Georgia from 1937 to 1941.-Life and career:Rivers obtained a degree through La Salle Extension University...
' home, which was moved from its original spot on Banks Lake to West Main Street in Lakeland in the early 1980s; Union Baptist Church, located near Georgia Highway 135; and Fender Cemetery, located east of Lakeland at the junction of U.S. 221 and Georgia Highway 37 on land that once belonged to David Fender. The site of the cemetery, in which many of the area's first settlers are buried, was chosen so that mourners would not have to ferry their dead across the river for burial. Also, the "Murals of Milltown," which depict community life in the 1920s, grace the exteriors of buildings in downtown Lakeland.
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 7,847 people, 2,893 households, and 1,931 families residing in the county. 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 39 people per square mile (15/km²). There were 3,011 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.61% White
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...
, 20.63% African American
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...
, 0.57% Native American
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...
, 0.36% Asian
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...
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
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...
, 0.59% 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 1.20% from two or more races. 1.74% of the population were Hispanic
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...
or Latino
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...
of any race.
There were 2,593 households out of which 37.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% 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, 13.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.50% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.40% under the age of 18, 11.00% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,171, and the median income for a family was $54,512. Males had a median income of $46,023 versus $39,021 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 county was $43,690. About 5.30% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The county's economy has remained rural in nature, but the educational, health, and social service sector was the largest employment category in 2006. Factors contributing to this economy include the presence of Moody Air Force Base (shared by adjoining Lowndes counties), the several lakes and nature reserve, the hospital, and a large state correctional facility.The top ten employers in Lanier County are:
- Moody Air Force BaseMoody Air Force BaseMoody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Lowndes County and Lanier County, about northeast of Valdosta, Georgia, United States.Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23d Wing...
- Lanier County School System
- Farmers & Merchants Bank
- Louis Smith Hospital
- Patten Probation Detention Center
- Georgia Department of Corrections
- Patten Seed Company
- City of Lakeland, GeorgiaLakeland, GeorgiaLakeland is a city in Lanier County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Lanier County. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,730 at the 2000 census....
- Wausau Homes, Inc
- J.H. Harvey Co, LLC (parent company of Harvey Supermarkets)