Midway, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Midway is a city in Liberty County
, Georgia
, United States
. It is a part of the Hinesville
-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area
. Midway is situated near Savannah
, Brunswick
, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island
. The population was 1,100 as of the 2000 census.
Midway has several museums including, the Midway Museum and Cemetery and the Dorchester Academy Museum. Midway is surrounded by wetlands. There are also two islands, Colonel's Island and Dolphin Island.
Midway's history dates back to the 18th century. Puritan
s migrated to St. John's Parish, Georgia from Dorchester, South Carolina
in 1752 and established several settlements including what was later to become the Midway community. In 1752 the Council of Georgia granted the settlers 31950 acres (129.3 km²), as colonial officials wanted a large number of settlers in the area to protect them from the Creek Indians. The original settlers were primarily rice planters and the Midway settlers developed a strong agricultural economy aided by the 1,500 slaves they brought from South Carolina.
The settlers in the area took an early stand for independence. In May of 1775, Lyman Hall
(a Midway Church member) was sent to the Continental Congress
as a delegate from the parish of St. John. A year later Hall and St. John's Parish resident Button Gwinnett
(along with George Walton
of Augusta) signed the Declaration of Independence
. Another Midway resident, Nathan Brownson
, served in the Continental Congress
from 1776 to 1778, but did not sign the Declaration. In 1777 St. John's Parish, St. Andrew's Parish, and St. James' Parish combined to become Liberty County.
Established in 1752, the Midway Congregational Church building was destroyed during the Revolutionary War by the British, but it was rebuilt. The present building was completed in 1792. The religious welfare of the slaves was given consideration and the "colored" members of the church, with the blacks in the galleries and the whites in the pews below. Every April, the Midway Society conducts an annual service commemorating the town's settlement. The Church and the adjacent cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973. Among those buried here are two American Generals who served in the Revolutionary War, Daniel Stewart and James Screven . A large monument, erected in 1915 in the center of the cemetery, is dedicated to these men.
in 1973, the Midway Historic District
, encompassing the Midway Congregational Church and Cemetery, the Midway Museum and the Old Sunbury Road, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
The City of Midway was Incorporated in 1925.
opened a 1500000 square feet (139,354.6 m²) regional distribution center.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.71%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,100 people, 331 households, and 241 families residing in the city. The population density
was 197.8 people per square mile (76.4/km²). There were 395 housing units at an average density of 71.0 per square mile (27.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.82% White, 37.18% African American, 0.55% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.
There were 331 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples
living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,205, and the median income for a family was $31,607. Males had a median income of $27,014 versus $20,313 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,078. About 15.2% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.
run by young girls attempting to earn money for a waterpark trip. Police & officials claimed the girls were required to obtain a business license
. Neighboring Richmond Hill
allowed the girls to set up their lemonade stand at its first farmer's market later that month.
is provided by the Liberty County School System. Public schools located in Midway are:
Liberty County, Georgia
Liberty County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 61,610. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 60,503...
, 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...
. It is a part of the Hinesville
Hinesville, Georgia
Hinesville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. The population was 30,392 at the 2000 census. Hinesville is also known to have been the home of three signers of the Declaration of Independence: Lyman Hall, George Walton and Button Gwinnett. The city is the county seat of Liberty...
-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area
Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan area
The Hinesville-Fort Stewart Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – Liberty and Long – in Georgia, anchored by the city of Hinesville and Fort Stewart...
. Midway is situated near Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Brunswick
Brunswick, Georgia
Brunswick is the major urban and economic center in southeastern Georgia in the United States. The municipality is located on a harbor near the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles north of Florida and 70 miles south of South Carolina. Brunswick is bordered on the east by the Atlantic...
, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is an island off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, in Glynn County; it is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia. The city of Brunswick, Georgia, the Marshes of Glynn, and several other islands, including the larger St. Simons Island, are nearby...
. The population was 1,100 as of the 2000 census.
Midway has several museums including, the Midway Museum and Cemetery and the Dorchester Academy Museum. Midway is surrounded by wetlands. There are also two islands, Colonel's Island and Dolphin Island.
History
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
s migrated to St. John's Parish, Georgia from Dorchester, South Carolina
Dorchester, South Carolina
Dorchester was a town in South Carolina. Situated on the Ashley River around from Charleston, it was founded in February 1696 by the followers of Reverend Joseph Lord from Dorchester, Massachusetts, who gave it the same name of the town whence they had emigrated, which was in turn named after the...
in 1752 and established several settlements including what was later to become the Midway community. In 1752 the Council of Georgia granted the settlers 31950 acres (129.3 km²), as colonial officials wanted a large number of settlers in the area to protect them from the Creek Indians. The original settlers were primarily rice planters and the Midway settlers developed a strong agricultural economy aided by the 1,500 slaves they brought from South Carolina.
The settlers in the area took an early stand for independence. In May of 1775, Lyman Hall
Lyman Hall
Lyman Hall , physician, clergyman, and statesman, was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Georgia. Hall County is named after him.-Early life and family:...
(a Midway Church member) was sent to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
as a delegate from the parish of St. John. A year later Hall and St. John's Parish resident Button Gwinnett
Button Gwinnett
Button Gwinnett was an English-born American political leader who, as a representative of Georgia to the Continental Congress, was the second of the signatories on the United States Declaration of Independence...
(along with George Walton
George Walton
George Walton signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Georgia and also served as the second Chief Executive of that state.-Life and work:...
of Augusta) signed the Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
. Another Midway resident, Nathan Brownson
Nathan Brownson
Nathan Brownson was an American physician and statesman from Riceboro, Georgia. He served Georgia as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1777 and as the 14th Governor of Georgia in 1781....
, served in the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
from 1776 to 1778, but did not sign the Declaration. In 1777 St. John's Parish, St. Andrew's Parish, and St. James' Parish combined to become Liberty County.
Established in 1752, the Midway Congregational Church building was destroyed during the Revolutionary War by the British, but it was rebuilt. The present building was completed in 1792. The religious welfare of the slaves was given consideration and the "colored" members of the church, with the blacks in the galleries and the whites in the pews below. Every April, the Midway Society conducts an annual service commemorating the town's settlement. The Church and the adjacent cemetery were placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973. Among those buried here are two American Generals who served in the Revolutionary War, Daniel Stewart and James Screven . A large monument, erected in 1915 in the center of the cemetery, is dedicated to these men.
in 1973, the Midway Historic District
Midway Historic District (Midway, Georgia)
The Midway Historic District consists of encompassing the Midway Congregational Church and Cemetery, the Midway Museum and the Old Sunbury Road, at the intersection of U.S. 17 and GA 38 in Midway, Liberty County, Georgia...
, encompassing the Midway Congregational Church and Cemetery, the Midway Museum and the Old Sunbury Road, was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The City of Midway was Incorporated in 1925.
Industry
Midway has an industrial park with nine manufacturing facilities. In 2007, Target CorporationTarget Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
opened a 1500000 square feet (139,354.6 m²) regional distribution center.
Geography
Midway is located at 31.799873°N 81.412298°W (31.799873, -81.412298).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 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.71%) 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 1,100 people, 331 households, and 241 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 197.8 people per square mile (76.4/km²). There were 395 housing units at an average density of 71.0 per square mile (27.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.82% White, 37.18% African American, 0.55% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 0.45% 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 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.36% of the population.
There were 331 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% 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, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,205, and the median income for a family was $31,607. Males had a median income of $27,014 versus $20,313 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 $13,078. About 15.2% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 20.6% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
The Midway Museum is home to documents, exhibits, and furnishings associated with the Midway Society from the Colonial period through its last meeting in December, 1865. The Midway Museum was Georgia's first colonial museum.Lemonade stand shutdown
In July of 2011 Midway received national attention after city police shutdown a lemonade standLemonade Stand
Lemonade Stand is a basic economics game created in 1973 by Bob Jamison of the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium. Charlie Kellner ported the game to the Apple II platform in February 1979...
run by young girls attempting to earn money for a waterpark trip. Police & officials claimed the girls were required to obtain a business license
Business license
Business licenses are permits issued by government agencies that allow individuals or companies to conduct business within the government's geographical jurisdiction. It is the authorization to start a business issued by the local government....
. Neighboring Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Richmond Hill is a city in Bryan County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,959 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Richmond Hill is located at ....
allowed the girls to set up their lemonade stand at its first farmer's market later that month.
Education
Public educationPublic education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
is provided by the Liberty County School System. Public schools located in Midway are:
- Liberty Elementary (grades K through 5)
- Midway Middle School (grades 6 through 8)